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THE SPINE
Your spine consists of a column of 33 bones called vertebrae
that extend from your skull down to your hips. Between the vertebrae
are discs of soft tissue.
The vertebrae join together like links in
a chain, providing support for your head and body while the discs
act as cushions, or “shock absorbers.”
In addition to providing
support, the spine encloses and protects a cylinder of nerve tissues
called the spinal cord.
The spinal cord is surrounded by a bony
channel called the spinal canal.
1. Vertebra
2. Disc
3. Spinous process
4. Interspinous space
5. Lumbar spine |
Normally there
is space between the spinal cord and the borders of the spinal canal so
that the nerves are free and are not pinched.
As we age, the ligaments and bone that surround the spinal canal can
degenerate/thicken. This results in narrowing of the spinal canal, which
is called spinal stenosis. The spinal cord and nerve fibres that exit
the spinal canal (nerve roots) become crowded and pinched due to this
narrowing. This may result in numbness, weakness and discomfort in the legs while walking or prolonged standing. Symptoms regress during sitting, rest and by bending forward. These symptoms may or may not be associated with back pain.
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