Legacy Spine and Neurological Specialists honors the memory of Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century, was born 136 years ago today in Malaga, Spain.
In the world of physical therapy a very common goal is to increase strength. Some patients love the hands on approach with a skilled therapist while others choose to hit the gym. So if you are one of those individuals that would like to try it on your own there is a very important training tool to keep in mind. The FITT Principle:
A bone spur or ‘osteophyte’ is new bone that forms at the end of bones or joints. Bone spurs form in response to movement when one bone comes into contact with another bone across a joint or disk space. Bone spurs can occur throughout the body but are common in the spine because of numerous bony joints and disks that make up and support the spine. Bone spur formation occurs to varying degrees and is expected in the aging spine but will be more common in patients that have significant arthritis.
Parkinson’s is a progressive disease caused by a decreased level of dopamine produced by nerve cells in the brain, in an area called the substantia nigra. Dopamine levels drop as the disease progresses. Dopamine sends messages in the brain to areas that control movement and coordination. With decreased dopamine, patients have difficulty controlling their limb and overall body movement along with their emotions.
Approximately 1,000,000 adults in the USA have Parkinson’s Disease, while males have a 50% higher risk than females.
On this day in history, Legacy Spine and Neurological Specialists highlights Willie Mays and “The Catch,” one of the most amazing plays ever displayed on a baseball field. Mays’ didn’t just get lucky and happen to be in the right place at the right time. It took years of practice and great skill to make this amazing play and cement his legacy. We honor Willie Mays exceptional work ethic and outstanding talent, it is something we at Legacy Spine and Neurological Specialist strive for every day!
Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition, and may range from no symptoms to severe pain in the back and or legs with variable degrees of numbness, tingling and weakness in the legs.
The lumbar discs are the cushions between each of the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. These cushions are composed of an inner layer of material called the nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by fibrous bands called the annulus. The nucleus material is a gelatinous core that has the consistency of “boiled shrimp”. These cushions serve as the shock absorbers in our lower back, just like the shock in your car. These “shock absorbers” experience daily wear and tear.
Myelopathy is a term used to describe dysfunction of the spinal cord. This most commonly occurs due to degenerative or aging changes in the spine. Degenerative changes occur in everyone to varying degrees. Common radiologic signs of degenerative changes include enlargement of the joints, degradation of the disks and bone, bone spurs and even herniated disks. Most of the time these changes do not cause problems. However, in some patients these changes can cause significant narrowing of the spinal canal resulting in spinal stenosis. Stenosis can cause pressure on the spinal cord and cause spinal cord dysfunction or myelopathy. The spinal cord relays information from the brain to the rest of your body and myelopathy can interrupt these important neurological pathways causing discomfort.
Most of the time when one is experiencing back pain, they often stay sedentary all day, because they think being active or stretching will hurt them more rather than elevate their back pain. Here are some great stretches and exercises that will increase core strength to support a healthy back.
Foot drop is a term used to describe difficulty raising your foot upwards (dorsiflexion). This may be most noticeable when trying to walk as people with foot drop often complain of tripping and dragging their foot. Foot drop can be caused by a number of underlying neurological problems and should be evaluated by your physician.