A hedgehog has over 5000 spines, we only have one, but it does have 33 vertebra,120 muscles, 220 ligaments,100 joints and 23 discs.
The lower (lumbar) discs are over 11mm high and are made of mucopolysaccharides (mucus like material) Overnight when we sleep, the discs take on water, getting fatter and giving us a better ‘suspension’. Through the day they gradually get thinner. Measure your height and you will be taller in the morning that the evening.
It is the mucus consistency of discs that enables them to bulge. Our lifestyle of sitting for long periods, slightly slumped, more than triples the pressure on the lumbar discs.
Sometimes the discs can bulge causing localised low back pain, or squeeze a nerve giving sciatica or pins and needle.
From about 40 years old the long molecules that form the discs start to break up and get shorter, so they absorb less water and our spine naturally stiffens slightly.
Prevention is always better than cure. Keeping fit and strong will lead to a good posture, if you have health issues speak to a physical trainer or call the spinal experts at the Trinity Practice.
Telephone: 01747 851726
www.trinitypractice.co.uk