Studies show that 8 out of 10 Americans will suffer from disabling low back pain at some point in their lives. If you have visited this page, chances are that you are among that 80%.
A basic description of anatomy will help you to understand the complexity of the lower back or “lumbar spine.”
The lumbar spine is made up of 5 separate bones or “vertebra” essentially stacked on top of one another. At the base of your spine is the sacrum and coccyx, or “tailbone”.
Each vertebra is separated by a disc, which acts as a shock absorber, and allows you to bend, twist and rotate at each level independently. The separation that the disc provides also allows an essential space for the spinal nerve roots to exit.
This entire system is bound by fibrous bands called ligaments, and serves as attachments and levers for many different muscles.
