LUMBOSACRAL DISC INJURIES

Course overview

THE AREA BETWEEN THE LUMBAR VERTEBRAL BODIES AND SACRAL VERTEBRAL BODIES IS A TRANSITION ZONE AT INCREASED RISK OF INJURY DUE TO THE CHANGE IN BIOMECHANICS THAT OCCURS BETWEEN THESE REGIONS. SEPARATING EACH VERTEBRAL BODY OF THE SPINE ARE PADS OF FIBROCARTILAGE BASED STRUCTURES THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT, FLEXIBILITY, AND MINOR LOAD SHARING KNOWN AS THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS. THESE ARE PRIMARILY COMPOSED OF TWO LAYERS, A SOFT, PULPY NUCLEUS PULPOSUS ON THE INSIDE OF THE DISC AND A SURROUNDING FIRM STRUCTURE KNOWN AS THE ANNULUS FIBROSUS. AN INJURY TO THE NORMAL ARCHITECTURE OF THE ANNULUS FIBROSUS OF THE DISC CAN LEAD TO DEGENERATION OR A PROTRUSION OF THE INNER NUCLEUS PULPOSUS, POSSIBLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE SPINAL CORD OR NERVE ROOT RESULTING IN PAIN AND WEAKNESS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF LUMBOSACRAL DISC INJURIES, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.