1.Bearing gravity, a wide range of activities
Lumbar intervertebral disc, as the name suggests, refers to the lumbar vertebrae between the elastic cartilage and fibers of the “disc”, is the lumbar vertebrae between the “cushion”, playing a role in connecting the vertebral body and cushioning shock. The lumbar intervertebral disc is the largest intervertebral disc in the human body and is characterized by high gravity, wide range of motion and lack of rib protection, which predetermines the lumbar intervertebral disc as a “stressful” and “hard-working” role.
This is why lumbar disc disease (Figure 1) accounts for 80% of all outpatients with back and leg pain. Therefore, we need to understand the lumbar intervertebral disc correctly and know how to take care of it. This is also the purpose of this booklet. For those who already suffer from lumbar disc disorders, it is recommended to seek medical advice directly.
2.Poor nutritional conditions
The adult lumbar intervertebral disc is the largest non-vascular organ in the body and is nourished by the penetration between the intervertebral disc vertebrae. Factors affecting the nutrition of the intervertebral disc: exercise is the most influential factor on the lumbar intervertebral disc, reasonable and appropriate exercise can protect the intervertebral disc, but excessive or long-term incorrect exercise and can damage the intervertebral disc, accelerate the degeneration of the disc, resulting in symptoms such as back and leg pain; in the absence of lumbar muscle protection, bring too much vibration to the intervertebral disc can also damage the lumbar intervertebral disc.
Such as long-term driving friends, because in the state of lumbar muscle relaxation, the car too much vibration, easily lead to lumbar disc protrusion; followed by smoking, because smoking directly produced a large number of inflammatory stimulus factors, destroy the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells, accelerate the degeneration of the intervertebral disc, shorten the biological properties of collagen and life, prone to lumbar intervertebral disc disorders.
Second, the exercise and health care of the lumbar intervertebral disc
1, correct standing posture and sleeping posture
Standing requirements to maintain lumbar balance, both shoulders should be at the same level from the front and rear view. Sleeping on the right side is better (Figure 2), which is conducive to relaxing the lumbar muscles and does not compress the heart, but need to change sleeping posture, not to maintain a sleeping posture all night. Flat position when the pressure in the intervertebral disc is the smallest, if in the noon conditions lying flat for a while, there are great benefits. People’s life 1/3 of the time in bed, so the correct sleeping position on the lumbar disc health care is more important, for lumbar spondylosis patients, whether the mattress is comfortable is more important. Here mainly analyze three representative mattresses: wood bed, Simmons mattress, brown bed and wire bed.
(1)Wooden board bed
Although the board bed has the disadvantage of too hard, but not easy to deformation characteristics help maintain the normal axis of the spine, the board bed plus brown pad or cushion is to make up for the disadvantages of too hard, so help maintain the balance of the spine, conducive to the health of the spine, is widely used in orthopedic wards in hospitals and families. However, it should be stressed that the board bed is definitely not the harder the better.
Some wooden beds are often too hard because of the material, whether lying flat or side lying there is a partial suspension of the lumbar spine shortcomings, if the same sleeping position for too long, but easy to cause said lumbar muscle tension (waist thin thin women especially obvious, Figure 3), is not conducive to the lumbar spine rest, is also not conducive to the rehabilitation of lumbar spine disease. Therefore, although most health care professionals to patients stressed to sleep on a hard bed, but the plank bed is not a mattress for all people, the most ideal mattress should be elastic and even, not easy to deformation of the mattress, but the elastic bed on the market of varying quality, need to pay attention to identify.
(2) brown bed and wire bed
Brown bed and steel wire mattress with good breathability, soft, flexible and widely used. But the biggest drawback is that due to easy deformation (Figure 4), with the different weight of various parts of the body and the formation of the central low, high state on all sides, so as to increase the tension of the muscles on the lying side of the low back, and make the head and neck position relatively elevated, so that the local muscle ligament balance disorders, thus directly affecting the physiological curve of the lumbar spine. Therefore, it is not suitable for the use of lumbar spine disease patients.
(3) Simmons mattress
Good quality Simmons elastic mattress has the characteristics of uniform elasticity and non-deformation, this type of mattress can be with the physiological curve of the spine and has a corresponding adjustment role (Figure 5). In particular, foreign countries have adopted a variety of specifications spring structure, that is, according to the different sizes of the human body parts load and the characteristics of the human body curve, the use of different specifications of the spring reasonable combination, in order to achieve the role of maintaining the human physiological curve. Therefore, this type of mattress is suitable for patients with lumbar spondylosis.
2, the correct habits of life
(1) step by step, combined with work and rest
In order to prevent lumbar disc strain and protrusion, usually try to pay attention to not do both bending and turning waist movements; complex dance or fitness exercise should be gradual, gradually increase the difficulty of the action; good warm-up before strenuous exercise. Life, pay attention to the combination of work and rest, such as avoiding long sweeping or mopping, bending down to wash clothes, bending down to carry heavy objects, etc., to avoid a long time waist a posture work; long walk, long standing or sitting are not good for the lumbar spine, posture change can reduce strain, sedentary office should regularly spend a few minutes to get up and walk.
Clinical research has found that the initial attack of lumbar disc herniation is more related to injury, while recurrence is most closely related to strain, strain leads to a decrease in lumbar muscle strength, resulting in a decrease in the stability of the lumbar spine, thus causing recurrence.
(2) Correct posture related to sitting, lying, standing and walking
Pick up items from the ground or low, should first squat, hold the item, the item as close to the body, and then slowly stand up with the strength of the legs; similarly, should not lean on the head of the bed to read or watch TV, should not sit for a long time on the sofa, low stool and car, sit on a stool or sofa with a protective pad at the waist to protect the waist; lumbar discomfort people sitting in a bus or van should sit slightly in front of the seat to avoid excessive vibration. When you get up, you should not use the supine method of sitting up, but should first lie on your side (right side, for example), move the bent legs under the bed, use the right elbow and the left palm to support the force, and slowly sit up. Normal young adults should adhere to the daily activity of 10,000 steps (including walking and running), shoes should be soft-soled flat heel.
(3) Psychological adjustment, attention to moderation
Self-psychological adjustment is the psychological control and regulation of oneself according to one’s own development and the needs of the environment, so as to maximize one’s potential, maintain psychological balance and eliminate psychological problems. Thus, the correct method is used to adjust the cognition, emotion, will, intention and other mental activities in order to maintain or restore the normal state of practice. When relaxed, it is calm and empty; when thinking or working and studying, it is focused and persistent; when treating people and socializing, it is sincere and kind. A good state of mind is a recipe for the prevention of any disease, lumbar intervertebral disc health naturally must not pay attention to psychological adjustment.
Life should pay attention to moderation, there is no better way to live than moderation! Such as sleepy and lazy people make the lumbar muscles lack of exercise, lumbar muscle strength is bound to lead to increased load on the lumbar intervertebral discs, thus prone to lumbar muscle strain and lumbar disc herniation. Overeaters are prone to gain weight, and excess weight directly damages the lumbar intervertebral disc.
Excessive late night work, alcoholism and tobacco addiction are not only detrimental to the lumbar disc, but also to the body’s multi-organ function is overdrawn and destroyed! Pay attention to the moderation of sex, not blindly pursue the length of the duration of sex, because the changes in blood circulation in the lumbosacral region during sex can cause relative ischemia and hypoxia in the lumbar muscles, and too frequent lumbar movements can have a negative impact on the intervertebral discs.
(4) pay attention to dietary habits and protection from cold
Follow good dietary habits, to keep the bowels open, so as to avoid high abdominal pressure during defecation; living accommodation should avoid damp and cold; to get used to wearing socks; adhere to the nightly hot water foot soak. The old saying “cold from the feet, disease from the heart” can also be called “eight words of truth” for the health of the lumbar intervertebral disc, which has great relevance.
Like psychological adaptation, good lumbar disc maintenance habits also lies in moderation, everything is appropriate and stop: life should pay attention to do “ten soon”, namely: soon sit, soon stand, soon weight, soon bend, soon hold children, soon wear high heels, soon low, soon sit on a low bench, soon labor, soon greedy cold.
In the daily work due to long-term improper body position or posture, the lumbar intervertebral disc can be repeatedly subjected to excessive extrusion, twisting and other loads, so that the intervertebral disc produces a small injury. The lumbar intervertebral disc injury continues to increase, in sneezing and other small movements of sudden increase in abdominal pressure, or sudden force or sprain on the waist, can cause sudden rupture of the fibrous ring and nucleus pulposus prolapse, compression of the nerve, resulting in an acute attack of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
At this time, if you do not pay attention to the lumbar spine to keep warm, it is more likely to aggravate the symptoms. The lumbar muscle fibrosis and spasm caused by cold in the lumbar area often cause stiffness of the lumbar joints, recurrence of disc herniation, edema of the nerve roots, and because of muscle damage in the lumbar area, blood circulation is poor, and the lumbar area is more susceptible to cold than other parts.