- Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists PC (ONS)

The bony vertebrae that encircle and protect your spinal cord are separated by soft rubbery, shock-absorbing discs. The discs give your spine the flexibility to move and bend. Nerves branching from the spinal cord pass through openings in the vertebrae to other parts of your body. Several of these nerves join at the base of the spine to form the sciatic nerve, which continues to your leg.

Back problems can be caused by arthritis, a ruptured disc, malaligned vertebrae or spinal fractures. Disc degeneration may occur as a part of the normal aging process but may also be accelerated by other factors. Disc degeneration leads to loss of disc height and shock absorbing properties, which may cause back pain. A ruptured disc or arthritis may cause a pinched nerve, resulting in sciatica or leg pain. Fractures may also produce back and leg pain.