Back and spinal cord Flashcards
What does the vertebral column comprise of?
- 7 cervical
- 12 thoracic
- 5 lumbar
- 5 sacral (fused)
- 4 coccygeal (last 3 fused) vertebrae.
What are primary curvatures of the vertebral column?
thoracic curvature and sacral curvature
What are secondary curvatures of the vertebral column?
cervical curvature and lumbar curvature
When do secondary curvature develop?
during infancy as children begin to bear the weight of the head, sit up, stand, and support their own weight
What does the cervical and lumbar spine allow for?
greater movement than the other regions of the vertebral column
What do intervertebral discs separate?
separate individual bodies of adjacent vertebrae (except the first 2 cervical vertebrae, called the atlas and axis, and the fused vertebrae of the sacrum and coccyx)
When is scoliosis?
An accentuated lateral and rotational curvature of the thoracic or lumbar spine is called scoliosis
What is kyphosis?
An accentuated flexion of the thoracic spine is kyphosis (hunchback)
What is lordosis?
an accentuated extension of the lumbar spine is lordosis (swayback)
What are the first 2 cervical vertebrae?
atlas and acid
What does the cervical vertebrae allow and consist of?
- Allows considerable movement
- Body, pedicle, lamina and spinous process
What do the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae contain?
The transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae contain the foramen transversarium (transverse foramen), which allows for passage of the vertebral vessels
What is the 7th cervical vertebra called?
Vertebra prominens cause of long spinous process (usually 1st spinous process one can visualise and easily palpate)
What is a cervical disc herniation?
- Cervical disc herniation (a herniation of the nucleus pulposus) usually occurs in the absence of trauma and is often related to dehydration of the nucleus pulposus.
- Motor and sensory loss may occur if the herniation compresses a nerve root or the spinal nerve.
- Common cervical sites of herniation include the C5-C6 or C6-C7 intervertebral discs.
What do thoracic vertebrae have?
Costal facets
What does the superior costal facet articulate with?
the head of the corresponding rib
What does the inferior costal facet articulate with?
with the rib below
What does the transverse costal facet articulate with?
the tubercle of the corresponding rib
What encloses the vertebral foramen?
The body, pedicle, and lamina enclose the vertebral foramen, which houses the spinal cord and its meningeal coverings
How are the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae orientated?
The spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae are long and oriented posteriorly
What is the thoracic region restricted by?
The thoracic region of the spine allows for some movement but is constrained by the articulation of the ribs to the vertebrae posteriorly and the sternum anteriorly
What is the thoracic cage?
- The thoracic vertebrae articulate with the ribs and provide a stout “thoracic cage” that protects the thoracic viscera
- Movement of the thoracic spine is limited compared with the lumbar and cervical spine
What is most susceptible to osteoporosis?
- Osteoporosis, a metabolic bone disease, occurs when the bones lose calcium
- The bodies of the vertebrae are the most susceptible to osteoporosis and may fracture
What does the lumbar vertebrae have?
- Typical lumbar vertebrae have large bodies and massive transverse processes
- They support the weight of the trunk and provide attachment sites for muscles of the trunk and back.
How much movement does the lumbar region allow for?
The lumbar region of the spine allows for considerable movement (flexion, extension, lateral bending, and rotation)
Do lumbar vertebrae articulate with ribs?
Although lumbar vertebrae have long transverse processes for muscle attachment, they do not articulate with ribs
What is lumbar spinal pain?
- The lumbar spine is designed for both support and movement. 2. Lumbar spinal pain (lower back pain) is common and is often due to a disorder of the muscles (especially extensor muscles), ligaments, or discs, which frequently affects a spinal nerve
Where are herniated invertebrate discs most common?
- -most common in the lumbar region, especially the discs between L4 and L5 and between L5 and S1.
- An L4-L5 herniation may compress the L5 spinal nerve root, while herniation between L5 and S1 may compress the S1 spinal nerve root
What is spinal stenosis?
- Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the vertebral foramen, which may cause compression of the spinal nerve roots.
- Lumbar stenosis commonly occurs at the level of the intervertebral discs but also may occur in the vertebral foramen.
What do intervertebral discs form?
secondary cartilaginous joints (symphyses) between the bodies of 2 adjacent vertebrae
Where are intervertebral discs present?
from the axis to the sacrum, but there are no discs between the atlas and axis (C1 and C2)
What is the role of intervertebral discs?
The discs serve as shock absorbers
What does an inverterbal disc consist of?
of a central nucleus pulposus surrounded by a fibrocartilaginous anulus fibrosus
What forms the intervertebral foramen?
of a central nucleus pulposus surrounded by a fibrocartilaginous anulus fibrosus
What type of joints are the joints of the vertebral arches?
The joints of the vertebral arches are plane synovial joints between the superior and inferior articular processes (facets) that allow for some gliding or sliding movement
What is an accented lumbar lordosis?
- An accentuated lumbar lordosis is an abnormal extension of the lumbar spine (swayback)
- common in women during the third trimester of pregnancy when the weight of the fetus places stress on the lower lumbar region
Where is disc herniation common?
in the lumbar spine, especially between the L4-L5 and L5-S1 intervertebral discs
What do intervertebral discs form?
secondary cartilaginous joints (symphyses) between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae
What are the intervertebral disc secured by?
by the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
Where is there no intervertebral disc?
There is no intervertebral disc between the atlas and axis
What do ligaments of the vertebral column include?
the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
Where do the anterior longtiudinal ligaments run?
run along the anterior surfaces of the vertebral bodies
Where do the posterior longitudinal ligaments run?
run along the posterior surfaces
What does the ligamentum flavum connect?
Connects adjacent laminae and limits flexion
Where do supra and infra spinous ligaments run?
Supraspinous ligaments (which limit flexion) and interspinous ligaments (which are weak ligaments) run between adjacent spinous processes
What do the anterior longitudinal ligaments do?
limit extension of the vertebral column
What do the posterior longitudinal ligaments do?
limit flexion
Is the anterior or posterior longitudinal ligament stronger?
The anterior longitudinal ligament is stronger than the posterior longitudinal ligament
What does the ligaments flava help?
ligament
What does excess flexion lead to?
The ligamenta flava help support an upright posture
What does the wedge shaped sacrum represent?
the 5 fused sacral vertebrae
What does the sacrum provide?
Because it forms the posterior aspect of the pelvis, it provides stability and strength to the pelvic architecture
what is the articulation between the sacrum and the pelvis?
The articulation between the sacrum and pelvis is the strong sacroiliac joint
What do the four pairs of anterior and posterior sacral foramina provide?
provide exits for the ventral and dorsal rami of spinal nerves
What is the coccyx?
The coccyx is also a wedge-shaped bone; the 1st coccygeal segment is not fused, but the remaining 3 vertebrae are fused
What happens if you fall on your tail bone?
- Falling on your “tail bone” can actually fracture the coccyx or cause a fracture-dislocation of the sacrococcygeal joint.
- The coccyx is a remnant of our embryonic tail, which is present in early development but is largely absorbed, leaving no indication of our tail except for the small subcutaneous coccyx
3, If the remnant persists, it can be cosmetically corrected
