The Lordotic Spinal Curve and McHenry Chiropractic Care

Just what is a spinal curve? There are three main types: lordotic (sway back type that curves inward), kyphotic (bulging type that curves outward) and scoliotic (curvy type that curves side to side). There are researchers and chiropractors and other back pain specialists who will discuss the spinal curve’s influence on back pain and motion…or not. When does a curve matter? If there’s back pain.

One set of researchers compared spinal curve types in people without low back pain. They found that a flat lordotic spine seems to produce more degenerated discs at L4-5. This finding leads them to believe that spinal sagittal alignment plays a role in early disc degeneration. (1) Ok. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic does see disc degeneration in young and older McHenry chiropractic patients alike, in curvier spines and flatter spines.

Another group of researchers studied the spinal curve changes in pregnant women. They report that sitting and standing are quite difficult in the third trimester, but they found no overall tendency for significant lumbar spine curve changes during pregnancy. (2) Hum. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic sees back pain in our McHenry pregnant chiropractic ladies and offers gentle relieving care of pregnancy-related back pain in the form of Cox Technic delivered in a side-lying position.

Another set of authors reports that the lumbar spine has different patterns at different levels when an athlete does squats. The lower lumbar spine seems less overloaded during unrestricted squats: the trunk and lumbosacral spine don’t lean as forward.  (3) Ok. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic sees plenty of athletes with back pain and helps them with back pain relief and recovery with McHenry chiropractic care so they can return to their sports and athletic endeavors as strong and painfree as possible.

Another assembly of researchers just reported that female spines are different from male spines when it comes to lordosis. It’s been said that women are evolutionally adapted to have greater lumbar lordosis to help with pregnancy load bearing. Is that true? Well, this study found that women do have greater lumbar lordosis than men when standing but not supine (lying on their backs). Maybe this means the female spine has better range of motion. Interesting. There is also the fact that there are differences in posture due to sacral orientation and structure due to the wedging of the vertebral bodies between the male and female spine. (4) Great to know! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic welcomes male and female back pain sufferers.

One research article states it best:

“There is a large, at times contradictory, body of research relating spinal curvature to low back pain (LBP). Mechanical load is considered an important factor in LBP etiology. Geometry of the spinal structures and sagittal curvature of the lumbar spine govern its mechanical behavior.” (5)

Back pain often stems from the load it takes and the way the spine is structured and curves. (5) So what’s a chiropractor to do? What does a McHenry back pain specialist look for when back pain presents itself? Your McHenry chiropractor looks at it all. The chiropractic examination that OrthoIllinois Chiropractic performs is likely the most thorough you’ve experienced yet! Back pain results from many different combinations of issues. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic studies them all.

Bottomline: If your back hurts, the curve may or may not play a role in the pain. If your back hurts, your McHenry chiropractor can help alleviate the back pain regardless of the curve. Contact OrthoIllinois Chiropractic today for McHenry back pain relief.