Where Your Back Hurts: Lumbar Spine

Ask anyone about what comes to mind when he or she hears the term ‘back pain’. Most will answer ‘low back pain’, and for the more anatomically informed, ‘lumbar pain’. That's no surprise because its location at the lower half of the spinal column bears the weight of the upper vertebrae. On top of that, it also bears the weight of lifting and twisting.

The lumbar column consists of five bones, labeled L1 to L5. Its name comes from the Latin word ‘lumbus’, meaning ‘lion’, for its strength and flexibility—both of which are characteristics often seen in its animal namesake.

A lot of things happen in the lumbar spine. For example, between T12 and L1, the spinal cord branches out into smaller tributary nerves called cauda equina, Latin for ‘horse tail’. Thanks to the cauda equina, the risk of paralysis as a result of a slipped disc is low in a lumbar spinal injury. However, since these nerves control movement of the lower limbs, a car accident resulting in an injury in this area of the spine can render said limbs unusable.

Spinal manipulation around the lumbar spine will not only restore homeostasis but also improve mobility as the nerves in this area are wired to the muscles that allow lower body movement.