It is very important to know the structure and functions of the spine before we begin to understand the cause of pain and what actually happens during manipulation. We must be familiar with the preventive methods and precautions we should take after the pain has gone so that we may not suffer from it again.<\/p>\n
Understanding and becoming familiar with the anatomy or the structure of the human body is imperative to understand pathology or the disease process. Then only can we think of a remedy or treatment. Let us examine what our aim in manipulation is, and how these measures help to keep us healthy. Somebody has compared the human spine to a sitar and an osteopath to the maestro who plays the sitar. To learn the sitar, to master it, to produce new ragas, calls for a deep understanding and years of devoted practice.<\/p>\n
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Appreciating the light and almost imperceptible touch and, at other times, the deep pressure applied on the strings, is what differentiates a maestro from an ordinary player. So it is with the skill of an osteopath. To manipulate the spine requires an equal amount of devotion and understanding added to years of an uninterrupted practice. The osteopath becomes a master of his job only after a devoted practice of at least five years after his graduation, during which he learns the basic knowledge only. It is also true that he never stops learning.<\/p>\n
Man is a vertebrate. This means that he has a backbone called the spine, extending from the neck to the tail bone. The spine consists of a series of small irregular bones called vertebrae placed in such a way that they carry on different movements and support the weight of the trunk, thus making weight bearing easier for the lower limb. These small bones called vertebrae are thirty-three in number. There are 7 vertebrae in the neck which comprise the cervical spine, 12 in the upper back comprising the dorsal spine, 5 in the loins called the lumbar spine. Five sacral bones fuse together in the tail bone region to form the sacrum, and below that is the coccyx formed by four rudimentary coccygeal bones.<\/p>\n
The part of the vertebra situated in the front mainly helps to support the body weight. The posterior part called the neural arch,, encloses the neural canal through which passes the spinal chord. The neural arch consists of:<\/p>\n
The pedicle or foot of the vertebra
\nA pair of transverse process or projections
\nSuperior articular process or surfaces.
\nInferior articular process or surfaces.<\/p>\n