Back and Posterior neck Flashcards
What are the functions of the vertebral columm?
Protection of spinal cord
Support and attachment
Mobility with rigidity
Posture and locomotion
superiorly to inferiorly, the the size of vertebrae…. due to….
increase due to weight of the body
What are the two fused parts of the VC?
Sacrum - 5 fused
Coccyx = 3-4 fused
Describe the distsinctive features of cervical vertebrae.
Transverse foramen, bifid spinous process
Large triangular vertebral foramen for the cervical enlargement
Articular processes in traverse plane
Vertebral body contains concave superior surface and convex interior surface
What is C1 articulating with in the atlanto-occiptal joint and what movement does it allow for?
b) Articulates occipital condyles of occipital bone = flexion and tension
what is C2 articulating with in the atlanto-axial joint?
what movements does this joint allow?
facet of C1 (posterior surface of the anterior arch of atlas)
rotation (synovial pivot joint)
What are the unique structural features of C1, C2 and C7.
C1: is an atlas bone, lacks a body and spinous process
C2: axis bone, odontoid process = superiorly projecting process
C7: vertebra prominences = smaller transverse foramen than other cervical vertebrae, long spinous process.
Name the distinctive features of thoracic vertebrae.
Distinctive features
Costal facets on transverse processes and vertebral bodies
Long spinous process angled inferiorly (giraffe)
Articular process in coronal plane
Distinctive features of lumbar verebrae.
Large vertebral body
Short spinous process
Articular process in sagittal plane
What is the function of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and coccygeal vertebrae respectively?
C= support and movement, T= stability, support thoracic cavity and suspend ribs, L= mobility between thorax and pelvis and stability. Coccygeal = support pelvic floor
What is the purpose of the spinal curvatures?
enhance flexibility and weight bearing
What are the 2 primary curves? when do they develop? What way do they curve?
- thoracic and sacral curves (posterior curves)
- fetal development - primary
curvature is retained from the original fetal curve
3- posteriorly
What are the 2 secondary curves? when do they develop?
- cervical and lumbar curves (anterior curves)
- develop throughout life as the pressure changes one’s posture
cervical- first few months when baby develops muscles to hold up head
lumbar - when baby starts walking due to weight redistribution - first year
3 joints of the VC.
Intervertebral body joints
Zygapophyseal joints
intervertebral joints (costovertebral and costotransverse)
What is the intervertebral body joint and what is its structural joint type, features and functions?
joints between vertebral bodies
Structural joint type: cartilaginous symphyseal
features: fibrocartliaginious disc and hyaline cartilage
function: weight bearing
What is the zygaphphyseal joint and what is its functional joint type and structral features and function
Joints between vertebral arches
Functional
Synovial plane
Structural features
Planes:
Cervical = transverse
Thoracic= coronal
Lumbar = sagittal
(inf and sup articular processes)
function
keep vertebrae properly aligned
allow movement orientation differs throughout vertebral collum to allow for different movements.
What is the costovertebral joints and what is its functional joint type?
Between ribs and lateral thoracic vertebrae
Synovial plane
What is the costotranverse joint and what is its functional joint tpe?
between tubercle of rib and transverse process of T1-10
synovial
What does the inner nucleus and outer annulus fibrosus of fibrocartliaginious disc in interverebral bodies allow for?
Function
inner nucleus
= shock absorption
-outer annulus fibrosus
= resists tension in any direction
Name the ligaments that support the VC.
anterior longitudinal
posterior longitudional
ligmentum flavum
supraspinious
interspinious
nuchal ligament
Where is the anterior longitudinal ligament of back and what does it limit?
- lines the anterior aspect of the vertebral body
- limits extension
Where is the Posterior longitudinal ligament of back and what does it do?
- lines the posterior aspect of vertebral body (anterior aspect of the spinal canal)
- limits flexion and prevents herniation of IV discs