Definition: Stenosis means narrowing of the spinal canal causing compression of the nerves or spinal cord. In the lumbar spine it is the nerves that go to the legs that are compressed. Signs and symptoms: Spinal stenosis causes what is called neurogenic claudication. The person experiences pain and weakness in the legs when they walk. As the stenosis gets worse the distance a person can walk before they experience their symptoms becomes progressively less. Eventually people can walk less...

Definition:  Sciatica refers to the experience of pain in the distribution of the sciatic nerve. The pain usually radiates from the buttock down the leg to the foot. Sciatica is caused by the compression or irritation of a nerve root in the lumbar spine. The distribution of the pain depends on which nerve root is affected. It is rarely due to irritation of the sciatic nerve itself. Signs and symptoms: The major symptom is pain which can be excruciating. The onset of pain is often...

Definition: This refers to the anterior subluxation of one vertebral body on another. It most often occurs between the 5th lumbar vertebra and the sacrum (L5S1) or between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae (L4-5). Grading: There are four grades of  spondylolisthesis  according to the Meyerding grading system. Each grade is determined by the amount of shift between the two vertebrae. The vertebrae are divided into 4 quarters and graded as follows; grade 1  0 –...

Low back pain is a very common and disabling medical condition.   There are many potential sources of back pain including the intervertebral discs, muscles, ligaments and tendons.   The most common source of back pain is the facet joint with is the source of movement in the spine.   There is a pair of facet joints, one on each side of the pain at each level from the top of the neck to the bottom of the back.   There are 24 pairs of facet joints in the spine. 7 in the...

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis affecting the spine.   It affects the facet joints in the neck and back leading to pain and stiffness.   It is due to degeneration caused by wear and tear.   Back and neck injuries, such as whiplash, can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in the spine.   Damage to the cartilage results in pain that is often aggravated by bending and twisting.   People often experience brief knife-like jabs of pain...

The two most common causes of chronic low back pain are Facet joint injury or osteoarthritis Sacroiliac joint dysfunction or osteoarthritis. The facet joints are small joints in the spine which is where motion in the spine occurs. The discs are cushions in the front of the spine that do not move and are infrequent sources of pain. The facet joints are located on each side of the spine and occur in pairs at each level from C1-2 in the upper neck to L5S1 in the lower back. A...

The first step in relieving low back pain is determining the source of the pain. There are many structures in the back that can be the source of the pain. Determining where the pain is coming from requires a number of steps. The first step is taking a detailed history of the patient’s pain symptoms. Is the pain localized to a particular site in the back? Is it on one side or both sides? Is it there all of the time or is it intermittent? Are there particular positions or activities...

Pain and restricted movement of the shoulder is a common form of disability. It can be due to arthritis in the shoulder joint or can be due to damage or degeneration of the tendons and ligaments that support the shoulder.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that affects weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips. It is the most common cause of pain and leads to progressive loss of mobility, joint swelling and stiffness.

Do you have back pain? Does back pain interfere with your ability to work, play, travel or enjoy your retirement? Have you been told that there is nothing that can be done about it and that you need to learn to live with it? I am here to tell you what the common causes of back pain are and what you can do to improve or eliminate it so that you can return to a better quality of life.