Learn About Ligaments: Part 4: Back Pain Series

Ligaments are long, cordlike structures in the human body. In relation to the spine and back, ligaments are attached to all the bones and the disks. Ligaments are some where in consistency between bone and muscle, being not quite as soft as muscle, and not quite as hard as bone. Ligaments are connective tissue and come in various size cordlike bands. Ligaments can be very short, or extremely long, depending on where they connect in the body. Examples of short ligaments are those which run between the bones of the spine, and examples of longer ligaments are those that can run the entire length of the spine.

Ligaments have many important functions in the human body in relation to the back and spine. They:

• provide support for the spine from the base of the head to the tip of the tailbone
• hold disks in their proper place
• keep muscles in their proper place
• position bones in their proper place
• keep range of motion actions such as bending, twisting, etc. from being outside the safe range, and
• maintain proper posture.

Although the primary function of the ligaments is to hold the bones, disks and muscles in place to allow for a safe range of motion without danger of injury this is tied intricately with the fact of posture. Without proper posture, the bones, muscles, disks and ligaments are stressed and strained by improper positioning and movement and therefore open up the back and body to pain, injury and disease.

Repeat actions using improper body mechanics can damage an entire side of the body, stretching the ligaments beyond their normal level of flexibility and support. Over time, this condition will result in chronic poor posture, and eventually pain. Not only can poor posture cause the ligaments to ache, it can cause chronic back pain which cannot be traced to a specific incident of injury. Often, many forms of non-specific back pain are related to ligament injuries which have occured over weeks, months or even years of practicing poor postural habits such as bending and lifting which can take a toll on the ligaments. Once ligaments are sprained, overstretched (and in some cases they can even tear) the healing process is slow, painful and can be debilitating resulting in poor blood supply along the ligament and the spine as well as a loss of employment, mobility, or movement without pain.

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