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Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol

How the curves in your spine could be causing you pain

Although the spine is naturally slightly curved, certain health conditions can make these curves more extreme. RomarioIen/ Shutterstock

Over 60% of us will suffer from lower back pain at some point in our lives. Without question, it’s the leading cause of disability across the globe.

Your spine is comprised of 33 bones known as vertebrae, which are stacked one on top of the other. The resulting column is divided into five segments: cervical (in the neck), thoracic (at the same level as the chest), lumbar (at the level of the abdomen) and sacral (connecting with the pelvis). The fifth, the coccyx, is located at the very bottom of the spine (the tailbone) – and is very painful when injured.

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