FINE

ANATOMY
BY CATHERINE FISCELLA, MSPT

The Lumbar Spine
Anatomy, common injuries and postrehab strategies.
ANATOMY REVIEW

tle stretching may be indicated. A client at
this stage must be under the care of a physician or other healthcare professional, who will say when the client can begin exercise.

The spinal cord begins as an extension of the brain. It is surrounded by the bony vertebral column, which acts as a protective mechanism. Any information (sensory or motor) that the brain needs to relay to the body travels via the spinal cord. Fortunately, the spinal cord is protected by vertebrae, so spinal-cord injuries are not common, and most clients in postrehabilitation for low-back pain will have lesser impairments.
Vertebral Bodies, Disks and Nerves.

Even a client who gets the go-ahead to resume exercise must avoid any movements that elicit pain. Extend the normal warm-up and stretching routines to ease the transition back to activity.
Early Postrehab (up to 4 weeks) Core Strengthening. Perform these

The lumbar spine consists of five articulating segments that move to flex, extend, side-bend and rotate the torso. The lower in the vertebral chain the vertebrae are, the larger they are, since the lower lumbar vertebrae are important in load bearing. Between the vertebral segments are intervertebral disks consisting of a central fibrogelatinous mass containing 80%