Spinal Disc Function
Usually only mentioned in connection with back pain, our spinal discs tend to have a bad reputation. While this reputation may to some extent be deserved, it warrants pointing out that our discs - we have 23 of them - give the otherwise rather hard and stiff series of bone blocks (vertebrae) and tight ligaments that make up our spines a remarkable degree of flexibility, and thereby make an essential contribution to our capacity to move about the world the way we do.
In addition to securing basic flexibility, our spinal discs are also capable of distributing and effectively absorbing shearing and shocking forces that are many times greater than our body weight. This is enabled by a simple structure consisting of a gelatinous core (known as the nucleus pulposus) surrounded by a hard ring of fibrocartilage and fibrous tissue (known as the annulus).
The spine is the central axis of the human body. It holds us upright, gives us mobility and protects the sensitive spinal cord. Despite its remarkable properties, however, more than 40% of all adults suffer from some kind of spinal disorder and back pain is one of the leading causes of work disability in the industrialized countries of the world. Moreover, the incidence of spinal disorders in individuals below twenty years of age continues to grow. Whether you suffer from temporary lumbago, chronic back pain, or a gradually worsening wear-related condition, it is essential to regard back pain as an important alarm signal.
