Welcome to Fractures Guide
Back Injury Article
Back injury
from: Sophie EvansAround 60 - 80% of people in the UK are affected by back pain at
some point in their life. It is one of the leading causes of
absence from work as the person suffering may feel completely
incapacitated. Back pain can be caused by any number of injuries
and can even be the result of poor posture or sitting awkwardly
at your desk. Back pain tends to affect people in the 45 to 60
age range but can affect anyone at any stage in their life. In
fact young people partaking in lots of sport are particularly
vulnerable.
The back
The back is a complicated structure which is supported by the
spinal column. The spine is made up of many small bones called
vertebrae that are separated by discs which allow the back to
bend. The spinal structure is supported by muscles and
ligaments. The delicate spinal nerve runs through the middle of
the vertebra and carries nerves from the brain to the rest of
the body.
The back is incredibly strong and flexible and allows us to be
mobile in many different ways. It is easy to disregard the ease
with which we can move, until something goes wrong. Anyone who
has suffered from a back injury knows how debilitating it can be,
There are four main causes of back pain. They are as follows:
*Facet syndrome which is caused by sudden excessive movement and
often causes pain on one side of the spine only. The complaint
occurs when the back parts of the spine, which interconnect with
one another (the facets), compress and irritate the soft tissue
in between. This can inflame the nerves exiting the spine and
cause the same type of symptoms commonly seen with pinched nerve
conditions
*Sacro Iliac Joint Disfunction which is caused by a traumatic
incident affecting the joints at the back of the pelvis. Onset
of the complaint is gradual over months to years and is the
cause of pain in 15% of lower back pain sufferers
*Slipped discs which generally occur in the lower lumber region
of the spine. A slipped disc happens when the soft part of the
disc bulges through the circle of connective tissue. This can
cause pain when the disc pushes on the spinal cord or the nerve
roots. It is thought that as many as 20% of the population
suffer from a slipped disc and don't experience any noticeable
problems
*Stress fractures of the lower spine which are often caused by
overuse of the lower back in sport. The injury occurs when
muscles become fatigued and are no longer able to absorb extra
shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of
stress to the bone causing a tiny crack called a stress fracture
The spine is made up of various structures and each of these is
capable of causing pain. For example the large and small nerves
running to the legs and in the spine itself may become
irritated. Ligaments and muscles may can become damaged and
result in pain.
Spinal injuries
Back injuries can be serious and life changing but damage to a
ligament or a slipped disc will not lead to complete disability
unlike spinal injuries. The spinal cord which carries nerves
from the brain to the rest of the body and controls movement and
coordination is extremely fragile. It is part of the central
nervous system and is protected by cerable spinal fluid that
acts as a cushion to protect the delicate nerve tissues. If the
nerve is damaged anywhere from top to bottom then life changing
injuries can occur. If the spinal cord is damaged it is likely
that the person may suffer from partial or complete paralysis
from the neck down. The severity of the paralysis is determined
by how much damage is done and to what part of the spine.
C4 Tetraplegia: Upper cervical vertebrae (neck), total paralysis
from the neck down
C6 Tetraplegia: Thoracic vertebrae, attached to the ribs,
partial paralysis in hands and arms and lower body
T4 Paraplegia: Thoracic vertebrae, paralysis below the chest
L1 Paraplegia: Lumbar vertebrae lower back, paralysis below the
waist
People who have experienced this kind of injury may be dependant
on the care of others for the rest of their lives. Every day
tasks can become impossible and total adaptation is needed to
live a relatively normal life.
Accidents are one of the most common causes of spinal injuries.
Around 36.8% of spinal injuries are caused by a car accident.
These are quite shocking statistics when you realise that there
were a total of 290,607 road casualties reported in 2003. Many
accidents are caused by the negligence of another person. If you
have been injured through no fault of your own then you may wish
to seek legal advice.
For free and impartial legal advice following a back injury in a
road accident and to find out how to make a personal injury
claim call us on 0800 78 38 846 or visit www.wheelsatonce.com
-ENDS-
Editorial note: www.wheelsatonce.com have many years experience
of handling personal injury claims. They help people to claim
compensation and to get access to rehabilitation and medical
care after non fault accidents.
About the author:
By Sophie Evans: www.wheelsatonce.com Compensation following a
non fault accident.