The main risc factors to develop neck pain:
-female sex
-increasing age up to about 50 years
-history of previous neck pain
-flexion>extension
-sitting in static postures
-bad sleeping postures
Pain
In the cervical mostly sypmtoms appear without apparent reason. In 2/3 of the cases patients awake with some symptoms.
Prolonged kyphotic postures of the cervival spine play an important role.
If pain is brought on by the same activity and ceases shortly after cessation of that activity, we can suspect a dysfunction syndrome. If activities are sometimes painful and sometimes not, then we rather think of an internal derengement.
Between the age of 40 and 60y there is a significant loss of retraction movement, resulting in the fact that we adopt a more forward natural head posture, especially over the age of 60y. Therefore it is going to be very important that we advice regular active regular retraction exercise.
The thoracic spine
Is much less frequently injured than your lumbar or cervical spine.
The main risc factors to develop pain from thoracic spine:
-poor posture
-age
-overweight
-sitting in static postures
-joint stiffness
-diseases of the thoracic spine
Pain
The main dural symptom in the thoracic spine is pain on taking a deep breath.
A disc protrusion at any thoracic level can cause pain on neck flexion when it hinders the dural mobility.
Disc protrusions are slightly more frequent at the lower than at the upper half of the thoracic spine.
A kyphosis and a sedentary profession both increse the risk of a thoracic derangement.
As far as there is no contraindication, manipultion and prophylactic strategy(axercises) are almost always the therapy.
Lumbar spine
The most important thing and statement:
More than 90% of all mechanical low back pain, with or without radiation in the lower limb is attributable to a disc protrusion.
There can be small or bigger and there is disc compression against the dura mater or against the nerve root.
Exercise is very important part of the treatment strategy. Not only because of strenght and endurance but even more important because of movement, coordination and proprioception.
Risk factors:
-Sitting postures
-Frequency of flexion activities
-Loss of extension
Maintaining the natural lumbal lordosis is a key factor in prevention of back problems.