Anatomy Lecture 2: Back, Spine and Spinal Cord

Question 1

What do the skin “dimples” indicate the position of?

Answer 1

Posterior superior iliac spines (PSIS)

Question 2

What do the extrinsic back muscles move?

Answer 2

The upper limb

Question 3

What do the intrinsic muscles move?

Answer 3

The spine
(maintain back posture)

Question 4

Name the extrinsic back muscles

Answer 4

Trapezius
Latissimus dorsi
Levator scapulae
2 x rhomboids

Question 5

Name the intrinsic back muscles (superficial and deep)

Answer 5

Superficial - erector spinae

Deep - tranversospinalis

Question 6

What might cause “low back pain”

Answer 6

Erector spinae strain

Question 7

The 3 parts of the trapezius

Answer 7

• Descending part (to spine of scapula)
• Middle part
• Ascending part (to the spine of scapula)

Question 8

Which muscles are responsible for extension of the spine?

Answer 8

Intrinsic back muscles

Question 9

In caudal anaesthesia, where is local anaesthetic injected?

Answer 9

Injected into the sacral hiatus to anaesthetise the sacral spinal nerve roots of the cauda equina

Question 10

Where does the spinal cord begin and end?

Answer 10

Begins at C1, ends at L2

Question 11

What is continuous with the medulla oblongata at the foramen magnum?

Answer 11

The spinal cord

Question 12

What is the cauda euqina?

Answer 12

All the spinal nerve roots from L2 to C0 that have to descend to their numbered vertebrae where their spinal nerve is located within the intervertebral foramen

i.e. L2-L5, all sacral and the coccygeal nerve