Question
my back is locking up which causes me to fall. the concerning thing that the dr's can't figure out is why my arms don't come out to brace my fall, it's as if when it happens my whole body locks up for about 10-15 sec. after it's over i feel fine no weakness, aware of what just happened, no lightheadedness. this has occurred about a dozen times. i have Harrington rods in from a car accident in-which i compression fractured t-10 and broke the transverse process off t-8,t-9,t-10 and on side of t-11. i also have bulging disks in l-4 and l-5.  

Answer
Chris,

Your car accident is why your back is locking up and why you have bulging discs; the typical reaction to injury is for muscles to contract.

Please see the articles on back pain at somatics.com/page4.htm for explanations and options for relief.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold