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Common Spine Injuries & Prevention Tips Presented by the Spine Care Institute at Hospital for Special Surgery Some of the most experienced Spine Care specialists in the world are at HSS, and they care for at least 8,500 spine patients per year. The HSS Spine Care Institute offers a full range of spine care services, including Physical Therapy, Physiatry, Neurology, Radiology and Pain Management – as well as Surgery – treating every part of the spine, for people of any age.
Axial Neck Pain, Whiplash
Cervical (C1-C7)
Disc degeneration and/or injury flexing head back and forth as in a sudden deceleration.
Myelopathy
Signs and symptoms of spinal cord compression caused by herniated disc, spondylosis or space-occupying lesion such as a tumor. Congenital stenosis (small spinal canal).
Cervical Radiculopathy
Thoracic (T1-T12)
Scoliosis, Adolescent Idiopathic and Adult
Lumbar (L1-L5)
Pinched nerve due to herniated disc or arthritis in the neck.
Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
Cause is unknown, there are many theories.
Vertebral Compression Fracture (VCF) Osteoporosis combined with often minor trauma.
Stress fracture of the pars interarticularis and slippage of one vertebra on another, typically L5-S 1. Thought to be a congenitally thin pars and/or repetitive extension moments such as gymnasts, down linemen, or high-level pitchers.
Herniated Disc, Sciatica
Pressure on the nerve of the lumbar spine, most common L4-5 and L5-S1.
Sacrum (S1-S5)
Spinal Stenosis
Congenital (born with a small spinal column) or from arthritis of the spine and overgrowth of the joints and bulging of the discs.
Degenerative Spondylolisthes
A slippage of one vertebral body on another combined with spinal stenosis caused by degeneration of the disc and narrowing of the spinal canal.
Axial Low Back Pain
Thought to be disc degeneration and deconditioning.
Prevention Tips
Bone health: Women should have bone density checked after menarche and be treated appropriately by a bone health specialist. Good cardiovascular conditioning.
Conditioning of the abdominal musculature, back extension musculature, neck strengthening, and core strengthening. Limitation of repetitive extension and strengthening of the back and core muscles.