Answer to Questions 8 and 9

 

The answers to questions 8 & 9 are too closely linked to treat them separately but the simple answer to each is probably “No”.

 

We are not born with lordosis. It develops in childhood presumably influenced by lifestyle. Due to civilised sitting at school, in cars and so on, some will never develop the natural spinal shape which complies with the flexion limitation proposed. Some, maybe most, of these will eventually develop a “weak back” prone to episodes of back pain as an adult. Maybe not a problem as a child or young person but it usually gets worse with age.

 

For others, either due to luck, lifestyle or genetics, their low back will develop exactly as if they were living a natural lifestyle. They will simply not understand what backache is. A few may remain in this happy ignorance for life. For most, the effects of a civilised lifestyle, particularly car driving, will eventually increase the flexion range of one of the lowest joints beyond parallel sided. The nucleus of that disc will, for the first time since early childhood, move close to the nerves in the posterior annulus. Some minor incident can then trigger the severe pain known to so many of us. An episode of acute low back pain.  Severe and disabling for the reasons explained in the answer to question 5.

 

This initial episode will usually last a couple of months (or 8 weeks with regular treatment!) but eventually the pain will subside for most people. From then on various factors, or pure luck, define whether life returns to normal with almost no back pain or whether the person becomes a “back pain sufferer”. Hopefully the understanding proposed in this website will ensure that it is much more often the former rather than the latter!

 

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