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UNIT 2 – Other Orthopedic Conditions
A. LOW BACK AND NECK PAIN
1. INTRODUCTION
It is no exaggeration to suggest that everyone will get backache or neck pain at some time in their
life. Although common, most backache is usually self-limiting (i.e. it eventually goes away "by itself)
and requires little treatment. Many people have backache caused by minor aches and sprains but
a small number of people have serious back problems which may require extensive treatment,
including surgery. It is often difficult to distinguish between the minor and the serious problems without
extensive investigations.
2. ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The anatomy and physiology of the spine was dealt with in detail in Skeletal Anatomy and
Physiology Unit 2. The spine consists of bones (the vertebrae), muscles, ligaments and nervous
tissue (nerves and spinal cord). The non-nervous tissues together are called the spondylitides and
abnormalities occurring in these tissues are rather crudely called spondylitis. Structural
abnormalities can occur locally in the spondylitides and sometimes may lead to compression of the
spinal cord or, more commonly, the nerve roots. Very rarely abnormalities may occur in the nervous
tissue.
www.healthcommunities.com
www.teachmeanatomy.info
