Axial Skeleton- Vertebral Column & Thoracic Cage Flashcards
How many bones make up the adult vertebral column?
26 bones
How many vertebrae are in the vertebral column?
24 vertebrae
- 7 cervical vertebrae
- 12 thoracic vertebrae
- 5 lumbar vertebrae
Movement associated with these regions.
Which vertebrae are associated with movement?
7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae
What are the components of the vertebral column (all)
24 vertebrae
- 7 cervical vertebrae
- 12 thoracic vertebrae
- 5 lumbar vertebrae
1 sacrum (5 vertebrae fused together)
1 coccyx (3 to 5 fused vertebrae)
What are the functions of the vertebral column?
- Encloses and protects the spinal cord
- Supports the skull
- Supports the weight of the head, neck, and trunk
- Transfers weight to the lower limbs
- Helps maintain the upright position of the body
When do the primary curves develop?
Prior to birth
When do the secondary curves develop?
After birth
What are the primary curves?
Thoracic curves and sacral curves.
What are the secondary curves?
Cervical curves and lumbar curves.
Which spinal curves curve anteriorly?
Cervical and lumbar
Which spinal curves curve posteriorly?
Thoracic and sacral
When do thoracic curves develop and why?
Prior to birth, to accommodate the thoracic organs.
When do cervical curves develop and why?
After birth, develops as the infant learns to balance the head on the vertebrae of the neck.
When do lumbar curves develop and why?
After birth, develops to balance the weight of the trunk over the lower limbs, develops with the ability to stand
When do sacral curves develop and why?
Before birth, to accommodate the abdominopelvic organs.
What are the 4 major curves of the vertebral column, from superior to inferior?
- Cervical curve
- Thoracic curve
- Lumbar curve
- Sacral curve
What are the movements associated with and specific to the spinal column?
- Flexion
- Extension
- Lateral flexion
- Lateral extension
- Lateral rotation
Which part of the vertebra is the spinous process located?
The “top” as pictured in the diagram; this is the part you are able to feel.
Which part of the vertebra is the transverse process located?
Laterally to the spinous process, on either side.
Which part of the vertebra is the vertebral foramen located?
In the center. Foramen= opening. This is the opening for the spinal cord.
Which part of the vertebra is the vertebral body located?
At the bottom (most inferiorly as noted in the diagram). This is anterior in the body.
Which part of the vertebra is the lamina located?
The posterior part of the vertebra. It is a flat, plate-like structure.
Which part of the vertebra is the pedicle located?
Either side of the vertebral foramen. The short, thick process that connects the vertebral body to the transverse process and lamina.
What is the vertebral arch made up of and what does it form?
Made of the pedicle and laminae, forms the vertebral foramen. Spinous process projects posteriorly, transverse process projects laterally.
What causes spina bifida?
Malformation of the structure making up the vertebral arch, where the vertebral arch fails to close completely.
Folate deficiency can be a contributing factor to the presence of spina bifida. As part of prenatal care, pregnant women may be encouraged to take folic acid to help prevent defects like this
What is the function of the superior articular process and the inferior articular process of the vertebrae?
Allow adjacent vertebrae to join each other.
What passes through the vertebral canal?
Spinal nerves covered by meningeal sheath.
What kind of joint category does the intervertebral disk joint fall into?
Amphiarthrotic joint
What is the function of the intervertebral foramen?
Passageway for spinal nerves (formed from vertebral notches of adjacent vertebrae)
What is the function of intervertebral discs?
- Bind vertebrae together
- Absorb shock
- Inner gelatinous nucleus pulpous surrounded by annulus fibrosis (ring of fibrocartilage)
What happens anatomically in the case of a herniated disc?
A fragmentation of the disc nucleus, puts pressure on spinal nerve or spinal cord.
Intervertebral disc is displaced.
What are the vertebral regions and how are they numbered (from superior to inferior)?
Cervical region- C1-C7
Thoracic region- T1-T12
Lumbar region- L1-L5
Cervical Vertebrae:
- How many are there?
- What do they support?
- What type of spinous processes?
- What type of foramina?
- What are the transverse processes fused to?
- What are the two cervical vertebrae with specific names?
There are seven cervical vertebrae.
They support the weight of the head.
The spinous processes are bifid except for C7 and C1.
All have transverse foramina.
The transverse processes are fused to the costal processes.
The two cervical vertebrae with specific names are C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis).
What are transverse foramina and what are they unique to?
Area where transverse processes are fused to a costal process. Creates the transverse foramen, unique to cervical vertebrae.
The Atlas
(C1)
- Articulates with the occipital condyles of the skull
- Does not have a body
- Consists of anterior and posterior vertebral arches/anterior and posterior tubercles/superior articular facets/inferior articular facets
- Has the largest vertebral foramen of all vertebrae
- Allows the head to nod in a “yes” manner
What vertebral region has the largest vertebral foramen of all vertebrae?
The Atlas (C1) because this is where the spinal cord is first projecting from the brain.
The Axis
- (C2)
- Has a dens (articulation point with the axis)
- The transverse ligament binds the dens to the atlas
- Allows the head to move in a “no” manner
What ligament holds the dens of the axis in position at the articular facet of the atlas?
The transverse ligament.
What is the specific name of C7?
Vertebral prominens
C7 has a long prominent spinous process
Vertebral Prominens
- C7
- C7 has a long prominent spinous process
- Ligamentum nuchae is a large elastic ligament. Begins at the vertebral prominent and extends to the external occipital crest of the skull.
Where is the greatest range of motion in the cervical spine found?
C3-C7
What is the ligament nuchae?
A large elastic ligament, beginning at the vertebral prominent (C7) and extending to the external occipital crest of the skull. Inferiorly, becomes the supraspinous ligament.
Thoracic Vertebrae:
- How many are there?
- What do they all have?
- What do they support?
- How do spinous processes point?
- There are 12
- All have rib articulation points
- Support the ribs
- Most spinous processes point inferiorly
Additional:
- T1 to T8 have superior and inferior costal facets
- T9 to T12 have only one facet
- T1 to T10 have transverse costal facets
- The typical vertebrae you see in a diagram
What happens in the case of a kyphotic spine?
Too much curvature, hunchback
Lumbar Vertebrae:
- How many are there?
- What do they support?
- What is the size of the vertebral bodies?
- Where do the spinous processes point?
- There are 5
- Support the weight of the torso
- Vertebral bodies are large
- Spinous processes point posteriorly
Larger vertebral bodies translate to a more _______ range of motion
Narrow
Sacrum:
- What is it?
- How many pieces/components?
- What are the joint connections?
- One sacrum
- 5 fused vertebrae
Joints
- Lumbosacral joint- L5 articulates with the sacrum
- Sacroiliac joint- Sacrum articulates with the pelvis on either side
Which way does the sacrum curve and why?
Curves posteriorly to accomodate abdominopelvic organs.
Where does the spinal cord run through in the sacrum?
Sacral canal
What is the meeting point of the coccyx and the sacrum?
Sacral cornu and coccygeal cornu
The Coccyx:
- How many vertebrae?
- Which way does it point- male/female?
- Where does it articulate with the sacrum?
- 3-5 fused vertebrae
- Adult male coccyx points anteriorly
- Adult female coccyx points inferiorly (childbirth)
- Articulates with the sacrum at the coccygeal cornu
What are the two functions of the thoracic cage?
- Protection
- Attachment site for muscles
What are the two types of rib classification and which ribs fall into which category?
True ribs/vertebrosternal ribs: (1-7)
False ribs (8-12)
- Vertebrochondral ribs (8-10)
- Floating ribs (11-12)
Where are vertebrosternal ribs connected to?
Ribs 1-7. Connected directly to sternum via costal cartilage (hyaline cartilage).
What are the structures of a rib?
- Head
- Neck
- Body
- Tubercle
- Angle
- Costal groove
- Sternal end -superior and inferior articular facets/interarticular crest
Where is the articulation between the vertebrae and the rib?
At the tubercle of rib.
What are the parts of the sternum?
- Manubrium
- Body
- Xiphoid process
- Jugular notch
What is the manubrium?
Top portion of the sternum (tie).
What is the body of the sternum?
Largest part of the sternum.
What is the xiphoid process?
At the lower portion of the sternum. Initially hyaline cartilage, ossifies in adults.
What is the jugular notch?
Palpable structure at the top of the manubrium.
Red bone marrow is readily produced in flat bones. One of the best examples would be which bone and why?
Sternum, large marrow cavity. Bone marrow biopsies can be performed here.
