Module 1.4: Lumbar Discs & Peripheral Sensitization
In this lesson, I break down the most misunderstood aspects of acute low back pain — the functional unit of the spine: the lumbar vertebra + end plate + the disc.
We’ll talk through how these tissues actually behave under load, why they can become sensitized even without “slipping” or structural damage, and how understanding that helps you sharpen your pattern recognition going into your subjective and objective exams.
I’ll walk you through a couple real patient case studies, a snowboarder & a gardener, to show you what load sensitivity looks like in real life, why “flexion is NOT the enemy,” and how to spot discogenic pain that shows up hours or even days after the actual trigger.
By the end, you’ll:
Understand the functional architecture of the disc–vertebra unit
Recognize the signs of mechanical vs. chemical sensitization
Know what delayed discogenic pain looks like and why it happens
Learn why discs heal more slowly than muscle and how to set better expectations with patients
Watch until the end — I’ll share my own acute low back pain story and how it completely changed how I coach patients through recovery timelines and reloading progressions.
⏱️TIME STAMP
0:00 – 0:35 | Welcome to the Lumbar Vertebra, Discs & Peripheral Sensitization module
0:36 – 1:00 | Why this lesson matters for pattern recognition
1:01 – 1:40 | Three key teaching points overview
1:41 – 3:00 | Discs and vertebrae are resilient — not fragile
3:01 – 5:30 | What cadaver lab taught me about disc structure
5:31 – 7:15 | Load, position, and why “flexion isn’t the enemy”
7:16 – 10:15 | Case Study: Dave’s snowboarding case and identifying load sensitivity
10:16 – 13:10 | How the disc and vertebra share compressive loads
13:11 – 16:45 | Micro-fractures, Schmorl’s nodes, and adaptation
16:46 – 19:45 | How strategic loading and unloading promote healing
19:46 – 21:00 | The importance of re-loading vs. avoiding load
21:01 – 24:55 | Delayed discogenic pain patterns explained
24:56 – 27:15 | Case Study: Gardening injury and delayed flare
27:16 – 30:10 | Why healing timeframes for discs differ from muscle
30:11 – 31:50 | My personal acute back pain story
31:51 – 32:45 | The mindset shift that helps patients stay the course
32:46 – 33:10 | Recap: 3 key takeaways for recognizing disc behavior
33:11 – 33:25 | What’s next: Dorsal root ganglion & “mini-brain” sensitization
P.S stay tuned for tomorrow's video…
I break down a case study of an avid yoga practitioner who struggled to find answers to her radicular symptoms. This case will help us discuss critical elements of the nerve root as it relates to peripheral sensitization that'll enhance your clinical pattern recognition at a deep level.
p.s If you don't want to wait for the rest of the module 1 videos and would rather get the rest of this LBP course now click here