Special features of the LWS
The lumbar spine (lumbar spine) has a special feature in contrast to the thoracic spine and cervical spine. The vertebrae are positioned particularly steeply in relation to each other. In normal cases, they can counteract forces that are directed forward or backward.
Such forces are most likely to occur when bending down and when tilting the upper body back and forth. Instabilities can occur especially in the case of very frequent and unphysiological movements. The vertebral bodies LWK (lumbar vertebral bodies) 4 and 5 (L4/5 herniated disc) and LWK 5 and SWK (sacral vertebral bodies) 1 (L5/S1 herniated disc) are most likely to be affected by herniated discs.
In addition to the chronic strain that leads to disc herniations of the lumbar spine, congenital malpositions of the vertebral bodies may also occur in some rare cases. These malpositions particularly frequently affect the vertebral arches of the vertebral bodies and promote the occurrence of spondylolisthesis and disc degeneration. In addition to the pain that can occur when opposite vertebral bodies rub against each other, neurological symptoms pose a further risk.
The spinal column not only serves to stabilize the body but also forms a kind of tunnel system for the spinal cord, which runs from the head to the lumbar spine through holes (foramina) located one above the other through the vertebral bodies. For this reason, if a herniated disc occurs, there is a risk that the disc that is pushed out will press against the spinal cord, leading to sometimes massive neurological limitations. In some, slight courses, the patient usually only feels a tingling sensation in the left or right leg.
In severe cases, the spinal cord can be compressed in such a way that symptoms of paraplegia occur. Symptoms of incontinence can also be signs of a severe slipped disc. In many places where the intervertebral disc has pressed itself out and where adjacent vertebral bodies are often in a tilting position on top of each other, a herniated disc also has the consequences of instability.
For the patient, this means that he or she can no longer carry out movements so easily and that forces that are to be dissipated via the spinal column are undamped and bear down on the entire spinal column. This in turn results in additional loads and damage to the other vertebral bodies. For this reason, in many cases, the occurrence of a herniated disc in a neighboring area results in another one.
In order to prevent a slipped disc in the lumbar spine, any excess weight should first be reduced. Furthermore, under physiotherapeutic supervision, movement sequences should be optimized. Long periods of sitting or standing should be avoided.
When choosing footwear, care should be taken to ensure comfortable but stable shoes. People in sedentary occupations should leave the workplace at regular intervals and perform movement exercises. These include stretching and stretching exercises, which should be performed at regular intervals. Muscle relaxation exercises in the form of massages can help to soften the muscles strained by the malposition.
