The Dragon's Head Blog
Anatomy & Physiology
Notes on Anatomy and Physiology: Function of the Thoracolumbar Fascia, Part 1
Today we want to take another look at the purposes served by our thoracolumbar fascia during the activities of a normal day. The first thing to point out is that western medicine has only discovered the functional significance of this fascial sheet over the last 40 years. And yet the ancient art we practice has […]
Notes on Anatomy and Physiology: Spinal Stenosis
Our most recent discussion concerned degenerative disc disease in the lumbar spine, a problem common to modern-day humans. Given the many moving parts that make up the spine, it is not surprising that there are a number of causes for low back and leg pain. The spinal cord and its meningeal wrappings, the vertebrae themselves, the facet […]
Notes on Anatomy and Physiology: Degenerative Disc Disease
Let’s continue with the examination of intervertebral discs begun in the last post. This will also give us a chance to examine some of the normal changes associated with aging of the spine and to have a look at degenerative disc disease, a difficulty frequently encountered in the lumbar region. Many mysteries remain about how […]
Notes on Anatomy and Physiology: Teaching Our Art in a Nursing Home
Not quite seven years ago, a well-known Australian geriatrician and member of the Taoist Tai Chi Society, Dr. Dick Lefroy, sent me a tape of people practicing the Taoist Tai Chi® arts. All were residents of a long-term care facility. Each was dealing with dementia or with another disabling medical condition such as motor neuron […]
Notes on Anatomy and Physiology: The Spinal Ligaments – Holding All The Parts Together
Thus far we have been introduced to a number of the components of the spinal column – the vertebrae themselves, the intervertebral discs and the facet joints. We have looked briefly at both lumbar disc disease and spinal stenosis and gained a sense of how these conditions affect, and are affected, by posture and movement in […]
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