良好姿勢 預防背痛

先要建立標準的日常姿勢，藉由良好姿勢，可以設法降低背痛之產生。

 1. 站：

應避免背部過度彎曲。正確的站姿是抬頭、挺胸、背部挺 直、收縮小腹。如小腹突出或長時間穿高跟鞋，會使腰椎向前凸，增加腰椎的壓力，所以女性不宜穿一吋高鞋跟以上之鞋子。

長時間站立，需讓腰椎休息，可將背部 呈垂直線靠於牆上，腹部向內收，臀部向下，膝彎曲，或將一腳用矮凳抬高。如洗衣、洗碗、燙衣服的姿勢，都可以一腳用矮凳抬高。

 2. 走路：

腳尖朝前，重心在足掌中心而不是內外側大小趾上。行走姿勢是最深切影響全身直線架構的。通常足掌內外八字的人，都會有輕或重的腰酸背痛。

 3. 坐：

採坐姿時，翹腳且腹部用力，讓背部保持平直。坐椅為支撐背部腰椎部分，應使用外型適當的坐椅以直背硬椅為宜。並應避免彎腰駝背在過於舒適的椅子而使頸部、背部肌肉不當受力。正確的坐姿是兩腳平踏地面，背部平靠椅背，臀部坐滿整個椅子。

駕駛員的姿勢儘量將背及腰部靠在座椅上，座椅靠背的角度約115度為宜。由於椅子太高，兩腳懸空時，會使腰椎向前凸，可在腳下放小矮凳。當由坐姿站起來時，須將臀部先向前移動，然後再站起來。應避免過度向前彎腰站立。

 4. 躺：

躺臥時，床舖的選擇非常重要，太軟太硬的床對腰椎都會造成壓力。最好選用木板床上墊一層褥子或榻榻米。枕頭高度正好讓頭與肩膀平行，雙肩自然舒適彎曲放置在身前床面上。切不可以手枕著頭而睡，因會造成背肌過度伸展。正確睡姿是側睡，雙膝微彎，兩腿間夾一個枕頭。

如果要仰臥，就要在膝下墊個枕頭，這樣可以減少腰椎前凸。俯臥會使腰椎向前凸而增加腰椎之壓力故應避免。

參考資料: www.ispine.com.hk

以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途，如果你有任何醫療問題，
應向自己的骨科醫生查詢，而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

我的脊椎問題有得醫嗎？

曾經有一個80多歲的老人家，雙腳非常疼痛，行動亦十分不便，每次只可行走5分鐘，之後就要坐下休息，當他來看我的時候，他真的覺得自己是已經屬於無藥可 醫的情況。然而，經過臨床檢查，發現他的病是由退化性腰椎椎體滑脫而引起的嚴重的退化性腰椎椎體滑脫。因為可以肯定地確定神經受壓的地方，再加上他的身體狀況及骨質 密度都良好，所以建議用骨科手術進行神經減壓及椎體融合去醫治。


當然手術不可能令病人重返年輕時的體質與狀態，但是至少可以幫他減輕疼痛及改善生活素質。相反，許多中年人士身體開始出現不同程度的退化，經常受到各種痛 症的困擾，影響日常生活、工作及社交活動，他們或許四處求醫，接受了各式的治療，也僅得到短暫的好轉，一但不吃藥或做物理治療，那些疼痛就又立刻重現。


這 樣的病徵未必可以確定究竟是由哪裡的問題引起的，這亦不是屬於嚴重到要用手術去解決的病，所以，患者只需找骨科醫生做一個仔細的臨床診斷去排除其他嚴重的 病，例如：癌症，的可能性，並且聽骨科醫生解釋這些痛症的原因。最重要的是保持健康的生活習慣，多做運動、加強鍛鍊肌肉、改善姿勢，那些煩人的痛楚便會逐 漸消失。所以，對於我來說複雜的病只要可以確定其病因，大多有醫治方法；反而，那些確定不了原因的輕微痛症，真的要靠病人自身的努力去改善。






參考資料: www.ispine.com.hk
以上所提供的資訊僅作為教育及參考用途，如果你有任何醫療問題，
應向自己的骨科醫生查詢，而不應單倚賴以上提供的資料。

Sciatica

Prolapsed intervertebral disc causing sciatica

Sciatica is a pain symptom radiating from the low back to the calf and foot. It is usually caused by prolapsed intervertebral disc most commonly occurred at 30-50 years old. At these age, our intervertebral discs, especially the lower lumbar, started to have tears of different extent, followed by dehydration and collapse. The may cause low back pain and it was reported that up to 80% of the population may have a least one episode of major low back pain during their working age.

These tears cause pain but most of these are only transient. The pain may improve with time and the most important factor to improve the symptoms and prevent it from becoming chronic pain is to stay active, sometimes with the aid of appropriate pain medications and physiotherapy. In some of the individuals, the disc may protrude through the tear and cause compression on the lumbar nerve. This causes radiation pain down the leg, i.e. sciatica.


Physiotherapy

There are various modalities of physiotherapy help to relief pain and prevent prolonged bed rest which is found to be detrimental to functional recovery. More importantly, the physiotherapists help the patient to maintain proper posture and perform appropriate exercise to strengthening the back muscles. The strong muscles can help to maintain a correct position of the spine. Low-impact activities can increase overall fitness without straining the back.


Pharmacologic and surgical treatment

According to research and clinical experience, many patients can relieve their pain by maintaining regular and appropriate physical activities in several weeks. Six weeks of physiotherapy / pharmacologic treatments would be advised for general case. Orthopaedic doctors may employ nerve blockers for some serious cases. Generally, more then 80% of the patients would have their symptoms improved with these non-surgical treatments in a few weeks’ time.

Surgical treatment is indicated for Cauda equina syndrome-the lumbar and sacral nerve roots are severely compressed by the propapsed intervertebral disc. Apart from lower limb pain, the patient also has pain and numbness in in the buttocks and peranal area and bowel and uninary incontinence or retention. This condition needs emergent surgical treatment.

The disabling pain persist after 6 weeks of physiotherapy / pharmacologic treatments
Progressively worsening neurological deficit.
Orthopaedic doctors will undergo proper diagnosis and evaluation before recommendation for surgery. The main purpose of the surgery is to reduce pressure on the nerves.

Reference information: www.ispine.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your personal physician.

Spine knowledge - Intervertebral Disc

INTERVERTEBRAL DISC (IVD) are located between the concave articular surfaces of the vertebral body endplates. IVDs form the most important and unique articulating system in the spine, allowing for multiplanar motion.

These fibrocarilaginous, composite structures make up one fourth of the total length of the spinal column. Discs are present from the C2-C3 interbody space to the L5-S1 interbody space. There is no disc between the skull (C0) and the atlas (C1), nor is there a true disc between the atlas (C1) and the axis (C2).

Intervertebral discs are the cartilaginous joints of motion segments. A motion segment is composed of two adjacent vertebrae, the disc between them, the connecting capsular facet joints and the ligamentous structures attached to the vertebrae.

Each disc permits slight flexion, extension, lateral flexion, rotation and some circum-duction. Movement at a single motion segment is limited, but since motion segments are stacked on top of each other, considerable movement throughout the spine is possible. The greatest range of motion occurs in the cervical and lumbar areas, with smaller degrees of motion in the thoracic region.

Intervertebral discs are the largest avascular (without blood supply) structures in the human body. The discs are composed of the annulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus.

Reference information: ispine.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your orthopedic doctors for diagnosis and treatment.

Fracture

Bone fracture and healing

In the past, fracture reduction and fixation required absolute anatomical reduction and stability. This often led to fracture non-union due to excessive vascular and soft tissue damage during surgery. Nowadays, absolute anatomical reduction is found to be un-necessary except fractures into joints. The reduction and fixation should minimize the trauma to the surrounding blood vessels and soft tissues. The fixation stability should be relative to stimulate bone formation during fracture healing. Modern minimally invasive fracture and reduction techniques help to achieve these goals on one hand, and to facilitate rehabilitation and functional recovery on the other.

Reference information: www.ispine.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your personal physician.