How Joints Misalign Or Lock Up?
Vertebral joints are like any other joints in your body, moving within a defined limit, as per the muscular action, which is controlled by the impulses received by the spinal cord nerves. However, incorrect posture, injuries, and excessive strain on the joint or associated structures can irritate the joint capsules.
This triggers signals to the muscles that cause the joint to contract, resulting in restricted mobility and unbearable pain. In addition, a muscular contraction can entirely or partially lock the joint. If the muscles tighten up selectively, the bones might appear out of alignment. It is a protective spinal splinting mechanism that can sometimes get worse. The contracting muscles can restrict the blood supply, or one ligament might stretch while the other remains slack.
Also, when a set of joints lock up, the neighboring sets try and compensate with increased movement. This adds to the wear and tear of the neighboring joints as they increase their range and eventually become less stable. The associated problems can often go unnoticed and manifest into more significant chronic issues over time.