Tortipelvis

The ‘Slipped Disc’ Syndrome

 
Tortipelvis
 
Often called the slipped disc syndrome, this
condition is most simply defined as: a tortuous
position of the lumbar spine and pelvis. This
painful and common low back condition is caused
by a misalignment of a vertebra in the low back.
This problem is referred to by chiropractors as a
disc block subluxation. The disc bulges to one side
and the vertebra tips to the other, thus the patient
is forced to stand in a bent position.
 
 

Disc-block
subluxation
 The common medical diagnosis for this condition is disc bulge, 
disc herniation, or disc prolapse. The milder forms may be 
medically diagnosed as muscle strain or spasm.   Patients are told 
to rest, apply heat, take pain killers and muscle relaxers.  The 
more severe instances are diagnosed as disc rupture, and surgery 
is routinely recommended.
This diagnosis is simply incomplete.
Actually, the center of the disc (nucleus) shifts or “slips” to one side and the vertebra above tips to the 
other just like a teeter-totter.  And like a teeter-totter, when the fulcrum is not in the center, it remains that 
way.  A chiropractic adjustment restores the position of the vertebra and its fulcrum (the nucleus of the 
disc) to normal position and thus returns the spine to normal.  
 

Anterior Tortipelvis When a patient is unable to completely 

straighten up the nucleus has shifted backwards and the spine is then 
“locked” in a forward bent position.  
 
Why does this happen to the Human Spine?

The most common cause of this problem is a spinal distortion 
called a lumbar kyphosis.  This is an abnormal flattening of the 
normal arch of the lower back.  When this takes place unusual 
weight is then carried on the discs.  This added burden upon the 
discs causes pressure to be exerted upon the center of the disc 
(nucleus) and when a nucleus shifts to one side (or backwards) 
you have tortipelvis.  
 

Normal Curve Abnormal Curve

 
(Kyphosis or flattening)
 
Slipped disc, ruptured disc, prolapsed disc?

Well, basically, all the terms above describe a herniated disc.  

The inner  disc nucleus cannot shift and cause the outer annulus 
to bulge and put pressure on the nerve without a tear or rip in the 
annular ring fibers.   This tearing is usually extreme, not a small 
 insignificant injury.  The reason is this… 
 

Imagine you are about to rip a piece of paper. Your

fingers are in place, and you are placing more and
more tension on the paper… no rip yet. That is
exactly the tension on your disc when you have lost
the normal lumbar curve. As you put more and
more tension on the paper, it finally rips. But not a
small, insignificant rip. Typically the paper rips
right in half!
Herniated Discs
 
Lateral Tortipelvis When a patient walks bent laterally to one side he is in 
lateral tortipelvis.  The nucleus of the disc shifts to one side and the patient is 
unable to stand straight.  This causes much tension and pain, but remember the 
muscles are not causing the problem, they are only responding to the tortuous 
bend of the spine. 
 

Prevention
Avoid things that tend to flatten the arch in your lower back.
Exercises like flattening the back against the wall or floor, sit-ups,
bending over to touch the toes, all cause the arch in the lower back
to flatten. Such exercises should not be used by the majority of
people who have back problems. Don’t let anyone tell you that you
have too much arch in your lower back without chiropractic x-ray
analysis.
 Correction
 

Pre: Post:
Lateral tortipelvis Corrected
   

The x-ray  on the left depicts a case of lateral tortipelvis.  The arrow points to the disc 
wedge.  The nuclear center has “slipped” to the wide side of the disc wedge (left).  The 
vertebra above this disc then tips to the right and the person’s spine is forced to stay in 
this “bent to one side” position.  This is the so-called “slipped disc syndrome”, more 
correctly called tortipelvis.  The x-ray on the right shows the same case after receiving 
chiropractic spinal adjustments.  Time between x-rays was thirteen days.  
 
DoctorGoodBack says,
“Take care of your
spine and it will take
care of you!”

DoctorGoodBack.com