Your spine is the centre of your body. It houses your spinal cord and it provides attachment for all of your limbs and you head. Your spine is created and designed with the same design as a perfectly engineered tower - the bottom is broad and very strong and the multiple segments of the vertebral column are of decreasing size and strength. Each segment is joined strongly to each other segment by multiple ligaments and small inter-segmental muscles. This has the same effect as hanging a heavy picture on a wall with many small pieces of sticky tape as opposed to 2 or 3 large pieces. Many small connections make the spine remarkably strong whilst allowing it to remain very flexible. Each vertebral segment contains 2 vertebrae, separated by a disc which is a fibrocartilaginous sac containing jelly (like dry shoe glue). Each part of each vertebra is joined to its corresponding part by a fibro-elastic ligament, as well as by inter-segmental muscles

Fig.1.1 (Click on image for enlargement)

Fig.1.2 (Click on image for enlargement)

This complex design of the spine provides for the required strength, flexibility and shock absorbency. Without this, even running down a step would be impossible nevermind running the Comrades or any other such event, and it would be very difficult to hit a tennis or squash ball.

At the base of the spine is the pelvic brim which is a triangular shaped ring. It houses the pelvic organs (bladder, rectum reproductive organs etc.) and connects the legs to the spine.

Fig.2.1 (Click on image for enlargement)

Fig.2.2 (Click on image for enlargement)

It is amazingly tightly held together by ligaments and by the shape of the bones, and yet it is possible for its perfect alignment to be upset by a fall or trauma, or by a sustained asymmetrical activity or posture. This minor malalignment can produce untold problems and disabilities and much pain. The reason for this is that even a millimetre of shift in the girdle will put stress on the ligaments and this shift will throw out the spine right up to the neck. In other words, one ligament will be stretched more than is ideal and the ligament on the other side will be on the slack and this pattern will transmit itself right up the spine to the joint of the spine with the skull.

Lastly a pelvic malalignment may produce an apparent leg length discrepancy - by altering the position of the top of the leg.

The ilia (large triangular pelvic bones - see Fig.2.1 ) can move up or down in relation to one another or move in or outward in relation to each other and to the sacrum. The sacrum is the flat bone which lies between the ilia and the base of the spine. The sacrum may shift to either side or may tilt forwards or backwards. Any combination of of these deformities are possible, and they may not necessarily exist in isolation.

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