Bonus Discussion: Neutral Spine vs Spinal Flexion | Connecting Biomechanics to Pain Science
This discussion covers:
- Where the idea that neutral spine is a safer position than spinal flexion came from and what past and current research suggests about this topic.
- The benefits of being able to generate spinal stiffness and access spinal mobility based on the activity that you are practicing.
- A brief overview of pain science and how to teach from a place that utilizes both pain science and biomechanics approaches
- General guidelines for choosing when to use a neutral spine or focus on spinal movement (e.g. spinal flexion, side bending, rotation, or extension)
- How the client’s experience, activities, and goals will influence exercise selection and when or how to introduce flexion based movements
References / Research Studies
Note: Text below are clickable hyperlinks!
- Progressive disc herniation: an investigation of the mechanism using radiologic, histochemical, and microscopic dissection techniques on a porcine model
- Intervertebral disc herniation: studies on a porcine model exposed to highly repetitive flexion/extension motion with compressive force
- The direction of progressive herniation in porcine spine motion segments is influenced by the orientation of the bending axis
- To Flex or Not to Flex? Is There a Relationship Between Lumbar Spine Flexion During Lifting and Low Back Pain? A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis
- Flexed lumbar spine postures are associated with greater strength and efficiency than lordotic postures during a maximal lift in pain-free individuals
Additional Reading