If you suffer from lower back pain, a team of British researchers say there may be an odd reason. According to a study recently published inBMC Evolutionary Biology, many people with this condition have a spine shaped much like that of a chimpanzee. The study was the focus of a recent article that appeared on the website of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The Culprit
The research team believes the reason that some people with lower back pain have a spine shaped like our nearest ape relative is due to a lesion forming between the bones of the spine, according to the article. The lesion is known as a Schmori’s node, which is a small hernia that forms in a disc between vertebrae.
According to the BBC article, the researchers looked at not only chimpanzee vertebrae, but also those of orangutans and ancient humans. They were investigating how the shape of the spine relates to upright movement. The skeletons they analyzed provided a great deal of information on how humans eventually evolved to walk on two legs.
The researchers say their study shows that humans who have disc problems tend to have vertebrae that resemble those of chimpanzees, while the vertebrae of people who do not have disc issues do not show those similarities. They believe the results of their study could eventually help doctors be able to predict which people may be at risk of developing back issues and which people will not.
Contact Us About Lower Back Pain
While we do not know for sure whether lower back pain can be traced to some sort of evolutionary hiccup, we can definitely help if you are suffering from this problem. Please call us at 817-310-8783 or contact us online if you are experiencing discomfort so that we can provide the treatment you need.
