While disk herniations in the lumbar spine are fairly common and may resolve on their own or persist without symptoms, if a herniation places pressure on the spinal cord or nerves exiting the spine, the patient may experience radiating pain into one or both legs. While chiropractic care can help individuals with a herniated lumbar ..read more

If you consider a vertebral segment as consisting of three legs like a tripod, the front of the vertebrae is the large vertebral body and the two legs in the back are the articular facets. The spinal cord passes between these three legs as it travels its course from the brainstem down to the tail ..read more

The annulus of the intervertebral disk is comprised of tough, dense, and strong cartilaginous fibers that protect the nucleus within, which facilitates the movement of the spine. If the structure of the annulus is compromised, the nucleus can leak into or beyond the annulus, a condition that may be classified as a disk herniation, protrusion ..read more

Low back pain (LBP) is a global health problem that will affect most adults at least once in their lifetime. For many, LBP may become a chronic issue that can significantly affect their ability to work and carry out normal activities of daily living. While we often discuss how chiropractic care serves as an excellent ..read more

The thoracolumbar fascia is a structure in the lower back that is comprised of layers of densely packed collagen and elastic fibers separated by loose connective tissue that allow the deep stabilizing muscles in the lower back to move independently of the superficial muscles used for twisting and bending forward and backward. When adhesions form ..read more

While low back pain can affect people of all ages, it’s particularly problematic for older adults and is one of the top three reasons they see a doctor. Despite this, low back pain among seniors often persists for longer than three months, and in the presence of multiple comorbidities (which is often the case with ..read more

While treatment guidelines recommend exhausting conservative approaches—such as chiropractic care—before considering surgery, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, hundreds of thousands of surgeries for low back-related conditions are performed each year in the United States alone, and it’s estimated that—depending on the criteria used—between 4% and 50% of patients may continue to report ongoing low ..read more

When patients present with low back pain (LBP), they usually move slowly, and they often can’t stand up straight. Even a simple task such as bending over may cause them to grimace and even require the use of their hands pushing on their thighs to return upright. These are classic signs of lumbar instability to ..read more

Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint, and it is the leading cause of activity limitation and absenteeism from work. There are many treatment options available to the low back pain patient, including surgical procedures. But when is surgery appropriate and in what cases should it be avoided? Generally, clinical guidelines don’t recommend ..read more

The sacroiliac joints (SIJ) sit between the sacrum (tailbone) and ilium (pelvis), which serve to connect the spine and pelvis and facilitate load transfer from the low back to the lower extremities. Generally, when we consider the cause of a patient’s low back pain, the first place investigated is the lumbar spine. But as it ..read more