Spinal Disorders

The following information is used for instructional purposes for students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Lane Community College. It is not intended for commercial use or distribution or commercial purposes. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or treatment. Contact howardc@lanecc.edu for permissions.

In this lesson, students will apply knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology of the spine to specific disorders encountered in physical therapy. The content and instruction assumes students have a working knowledge of the bones, ligaments, nerves, and muscles of the spine. Spinal pain is the number one reason people encounter and use physical therapy. PTAs must have an understanding of normal and abnormal spinal function and degenerative conditions in order to correctly select, apply, and compare results with the physical therapy evaluation and assessment.