Bone spurs make affected bones larger than normal, and the excess space used by the bony overgrowth is taken from somewhere. If a bone spur forms on the spine, it can cause issues related to nerve compression, and where along the spine a bone spur is located will determine its effects. Continue reading to learn what effects are associated with bone spurs in the...
When it comes to maintaining optimal spinal health, the spine’s natural and healthy curves need to be in place. Kyphosis refers to the spine’s outward curve at the thoracic section, and if this curve becomes excessive, it can cause a roundback appearance. Kyphosis involves the development of an excessive spinal curvature of the thoracic spine; treatment needs...
Scoliosis is a highly-prevalent spinal condition that’s been around for hundreds of years. As our understanding of the condition has grown over those years, so too has our experience with different types of treatment. We also understand what a right- versus a left-bending scoliotic curve indicates; continue reading to learn why the difference is important. A...
There is a natural amount of spinal degeneration that typically accompanies aging, but certain conditions and/or injuries can make those changes more severe and/or occur at faster rates. The spine can develop a number of conditions/issues such as spondylosis and spondylolysis, and while these two terms sound similar, they are not; continue reading to understand the...
There are only three instances in life where one is not subject to gravity: in the womb, in water, and in space. Inversion tables simulate an anti-gravitational effect by holding the body upside down, opening up the space within the spine, taking pressure off of it, its individual structures, and its surrounding muscles and nerves. By holding the body upside down,...
The spine along with the spinal cord and the nerves exiting between the spinal bones perform many essential functions: facilitating brain-body communication, allowing us to stand upright, practice healthy posture, and move flexibly. When the spinal nerves are exposed to uneven pressure, becoming irritated and/or damaged, they have less space to function within, and...
Maintaining a healthy range of cervical lordosis is important. Each spinal section has a role to play in maintaining overall spinal health and function; the cervical spine has the added responsibility of supporting the head and acting as the bridge between the brain and the rest of the body. Continue reading to learn more about the cervical spine’s natural/healthy...
Each of the spine’s main sections has its own unique curvature type, and while these curvature types have a healthy range, when a curvature degree falls beyond a normal range, becoming excessive, problems can occur. Formerly known as dowager’s hump, hyperkyphosis involves the spine’s natural backward-bending curve becoming excessive, which can cause a roundback...
The overall health of the spine depends on the health of its individual structures, like its intervertebral discs. In order for the spine to maintain its natural curves, alignment, and flexibility, the discs have to be functioning optimally. When a disc is bulging, it can affect the spine, its nerves within, and its surroundings. A healthy spine consists of...
There are different scoliosis brace options available, and it’s important to understand the difference between traditional bracing and corrective bracing. The former only addresses the condition as 2-dimensional, which is problematic, because scoliosis is a complex 3-dimensional spinal condition; corrective bracing addresses it as such so can help work towards...
There is more than one way to treat scoliosis, and different treatment approaches offer patients different types of results. The way in which a scoliotic spine is treated shapes its overall health, strength, and function in the future, which is why the type of treatment chosen can have far-reaching effects. As a progressive condition, the nature of scoliosis is to...
The spine helps us to stand upright, practice healthy posture, bend, lift, twist, and the spinal cord partners with the brain to form the central nervous system (CNS). If the spine’s vertebrae are aligned as they should be, its healthy curves are in place, but if a condition like spondylolisthesis develops, the position of a vertebra is disrupted, making it...