Joint Biomechanics and Degenerative Disc Disease

It is extremely important to have good biomechanical motion of all of your spinal joints. From the first cervical vertebra, keeping the head level, to the lumbar spine resting on top of the sacrum. The alignment of these bones will determine the size and the shape of the neuroformaina and the health of the exiting nerve root. Misalignments of the vertrbra will change the shape of the formaina where the nerve exits the spinal column and feeds into the body, The biomechanical movement of the joint (which is made up of two vertebra and the cartilage/ligaments surrounding the bones) will determine how much nutirents will pass through the joint on a daily basis. The less motion at the joint level the less nutrients are squeezed through the cartilage and the more the cartilage will dry and weaken. This is the dynamic concept of degenerative disc disease.

Degenerative disc disease of the neck or back is not the same as a disease like polio or measles. There is no viral or bacterial component to this type of disease. It is classified as a disease but medicine has no cure for the root cause of this disease. The main component is abnormal joint function/movement. Chiropractic is a science and art of correcting misaligned vertebra and restoring proper joint motion. Restoration of proper joint motion will correct nutrient deficiencies to surrounding cartilage and help exchange fluid into parts of joint like the nucleus pulposus that other treatment methods can not.

Maintaining proper alignment of the spinal joints means having healthy joints that are lacking any stiffness. This lack of stiffness means full movement on rotation and flexion/extension. This will provide the nutrients to easily pass though the cartilage and help keep a homeostatic enviroment within the joint. The passing of these nutrients though the joint helps keep it healthy and strong which keeps the bones from rubbing against each other. By keeping your joints healthy through out your life you can assure yourself you can avoid having to get painful injections into you neck or back later in life. Healthy joints do not hurt and are not inflamed not requiring high amounts of pain killers. Stay healthy, stay aligned. Look to the cause of the disease and treat this first to regain health.