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      All vertebrae have:

Your intervertebral discs

      The intervertebral discs (fibro-cartilaginous cushions) make up to one-quarter of the spinal column’s length, and function as the spine’s shock absorption system. They lie between, and are attached to, the vertebrae of the backbone, and form part of the front wall of the spinal canal. Intervertebral discs are designed to:

      The discs are made up of two primary layers:

      Since these intervertebral discs do not have a direct blood supply, they are dependant on the end-plates of the vertebral bodies to circulate essential nutrients. Any problems that cause a decrease in the normal exchange of fluids within this area can lead to a host of degenerative conditions.

Motions of the Neck and Back

      Your spinal column performs four fundamental motions: flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. The majority of these movements take place in your neck (cervical spine) and in your low back (lumbar spine). The mid-back (thoracic) motion is more restricted since the vertebrae are attached to the ribs in this region.

      Generally speaking, the muscles on the front of the body (anterior to the spine) are involved in the motions of flexion, lateral flexion, and rotation. The muscles on the back of the body (posterior to the spine) are involved in extension, lateral flexion, and rotation.

      By observing deviations from expected normal motions, the practitioner is able to identify exactly which structures in the neck and back have been affected by a specific injury. This information also lets the practitioner determine whether the primary muscles (agonists) or oppositional muscles (antagonists) have been impacted by the injury. By combining this information with a full-body examination and an extensive palpatory examination, the practitioner is able to obtain comprehensive insight into the structures that need to be treated to resolve each spinal condition.

      Thus, an injury or restriction to one structure can directly affect the function and ability of other structures far up or down the kinetic chain. By developing an understanding of these interconnections, you can quickly develop an insight into how these kinetic chain relationships work, and how a simple problem can quickly cascade into problems in multiple areas.

Soft-Tissue Layers of the Back and Neck

      Your back is composed of multiple layers of tissue which can be divided into three major layers: superficial, intermediate, and deep. These multiple layers, in combination with the musculature of the abdomen, hips and shoulders, form the core of your body.

      As you review the following sections of the book, we recommend that you pay particular attention to the many attachment sites for each muscle group. Many of these muscles extend from the low back, into the mid-back, and sometimes even into the neck or skull. When these structures are placed under stress (perhaps from repetitive actions) the various layers of soft tissue can become adhesed to each other. These adhesions cause biomechanical imbalances which eventually can lead to motion compensations, friction, inflammation, and a variety of physical dysfunctions.