Whiplash
This is a condition that arises when your neck snaps quickly back and forth, as in a motor vehicle accident. Sometimes it may take a day or two to feel the results of whiplash, because the tissue can swell over time. Symptoms include neck pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion. Headaches and dizziness might also occur. Most of these symptoms diminish in a few weeks but it is important to receive proper instruction on how to move and what to do in order to get better quickly. Some factors can delay full resolution; these factors include previous whiplash, other conditions and diseases and a poor attitude towards recovery.
Herniated Disc
Vertebral discs are tissues with a tough outer layer and a softer gel-like inner layer. The discs provide a cushion between the vertebral bones and as such are subject to wear and tear from the pressures of life, disease, trauma, or repetitive stress from physical activities. When a disc is herniated, it bulges out and can press on nerves and cause pain. There are certain movements to avoid and other movements to repeat daily in order to quicken the recovery process for a herniated disc.
Sciatica
The sciatic nerve runs from your lumbar spine down the back of your leg to your foot. When this nerve is pinched, the pain can radiate from hip to ankle or just partially down that path. Usually, sciatica affects only one side at a time. Sciatic pain can feel worse when you bend forward or lift up your leg. It can be caused by a herniated disc, a tight muscle and a few other conditions.
Spinal Stenosis
This is a narrowing of the spinal canal or vertebral foramen. The narrowing is generally due to bone spurs or inflammation. The root cause of most conditions of stenosis is arthritis. People over 60 years of age are especially at risk of stenosis because osteoarthritis is more common with aging.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
The triangular bone at the end of your spine that fits into your hips is called the sacrum. It is a naturally fused set of three to five vertebrae. The joint between the sacrum and your pelvis is called the sacroiliac or SI joint. Problems in the SI joint can cause pain in several areas including: lower back, buttock, groin, legs or pain at top of the hip bone. Pain is usually one sided and symptoms tend to get worse in static positions such as standing, sitting, or lying down.
Myofascial Pain Syndrome
This is a chronic form of muscle pain that affects various parts of the body, including the back and hips. Fascia is a connective tissue that covers and connects everything in the body, including muscles. When muscle and fascia get knotted up together, the area gets tight and painful. Symptoms include aching muscle pain, muscle stiffness, joint stiffness and limited range of motion.
Fractures
Fractures are cracks or breaks in a bone. They can occur in the vertebra due to disease, overuse, or severe trauma such as a car accident or fall. Fractures of the spine most commonly occur at the mid or lower back. Symptoms include: pain that persists beyond a few weeks, discomfort that gets worse with activity, and pain that interrupts sleep.
Scoliosis
This is an abnormal side curve of the spine. Often the vertebrae are also rotated. The condition can be genetic. In most cases, however, the cause of scoliosis is unknown. It affects females more than males. It often shows up in adolescence. Treatment of scoliosis can include stretching, strengthening and in some cases, bracing.
Postural Syndrome
Referred to as bent finger syndrome, postural syndrome describes pain associated with a mechanical deformation of normal tissue that eventually produces discomfort. Mechanical deformation means that a prolonged strain on the tissues causes an end of range compression or a lengthened position tension on a structure. This can affect he neck or mid back or lower back. This is often associated with a sedentary job, a lack of exercise, or constant unchanging positions.
Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)
An RSI is defined as a cumulative trauma disorder stemming from prolonged repetitive, forceful, or awkward body movements. Add to that the poor posture and positioning of an out of shape worker, ill fitting furniture, a badly designed keyboard, and the pressure of a heavy or fast pace workload, and the stage is set for serious injury.
Tendinitis
Tendons connect muscles to the bone. Tendons consist of tissue that has little stretch or rebound, so if you tax your tendons beyond their strength by overuse or hold certain positions rigidly for hours on end, tiny tears occur in tendons, leading to tendinitis. Because of the tendons’ anatomic function, they are highly susceptible to repetitive strain injuries.
Tenosynovitis
In areas where tendons must curve around bones or change directions, they often pass through tendon sheaths. These protective coverings perform the same function as the housing of a speedometer cable or a pulley. The inner wall of the tendon sheath secretes a slippery substance called synovial fluid to lubricate movement. If there is continuous friction, there is an overproduction of fluid and nerve compression can even result; these lead to pain.
De Quervains Disease
This condition occurs where the tendon and tendon sheath merge at the junction of the wrist and thumb. Patients with this syndrome feel acute pain when they move their thumb or perform an action that requires a twisting motion, such as wringing out a dishcloth.
Bicipital Tendinitis
This condition occurs where the biceps muscle inserts into the shoulder joint. You’ll feel uncomfortable when you raise your arms to the front if you have this condition. This can result from poor posture or repeatedly moving the arm over a surface too high or too far away.
Rotator Cuff Tendinitis
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons near the shoulder joint that turn the arm in and out and move it away from the body. Pain reaching into a hip pocket or hooking a bra can indicate rotator cuff tendinitis. Treatment may involve modalities to accelerate healing, stretching of tight muscles and strengthening of weakened muscles.