back and vertebral column

Question 1

what is the vertebral column

Answer 1

skeleton of the back and neck 33 individual bones and intervertebral discs regional differences in the shape of vertebrae (5) size of vertebrae increase from superior to inferior

Question 2

functions of the vertebral column

Answer 2

weight bearing protection movement site of muscle attachment

Question 3

weight bearing

Answer 3

carries and transmits weight from upper body to lower limbs curvatures of the spine and intervertebral discs provide shock absorption

Question 4

protection

Answer 4

of the spinal cord, spinal nerves and arteries and veins

Question 5

movement of the spine

Answer 5

extension and flexion lateral extension and flexion rotation of the head and upper trunk

Question 6

site of muscle attachments

Answer 6

muscles from different parts of the body head, upper limbs, thorax, abdomen and lower limbs

Question 7

spinal curvatures

Answer 7

foetus - one large convex curvature adult - cervical and lumbar lordoses (concave) - thoracic and sacral kyphoses (convex areas)

Question 8

abnormal curvatures

Answer 8

excessive thoracic kyphoses (seen in the elderly) excessive lumbar lordosis (pregnancy) scoliosis (lateral change in spine shape, seen in adolescents)

Question 9

typical spinal vertebrae structure

Answer 9

Question 10

types of vertebrae

Answer 10

cervical: two spinous processes, transverse foramen, very small vertebral body
thoracic: large vertebral body, heart shaped, long and downwards pointing spinous process, additional joint facets where ribs articulate

lumbar vertebrae: biggest vertebral body, oval shaped, short and thick spinous process

Question 11

intervertebral discs

Answer 11

shock absorption

2 component: central core with high water content surrounded by layers of fibrocartilage

outer layer: annulus fibrosis . inner layer: nucleus pulposis

core made from jelly like substance, allows some deformity

Question 12

slipped disc

Answer 12

herniated disc

compression of the nerve roots

jelly like pulposis is squeezed out which compresses the roots of the spinal nerves

Question 13

meninges

Answer 13

membranous coverings of the spinal cord

dura mater - thick and tough

arachnoid mater - more flimsy

pia mater - thinnger, directly covers the spinal cord

Question 14

CSF

Answer 14

cerebrospinal fluid

surrounds the spinal cord

between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater - the subarachnoid space

Question 15

joints of the vertebral column (5)

Answer 15

intervertebral discs - 2y cartliaginous

facet joints - synovial plane, at the back of the vertebrae, where the vertebra articulate wth adjacent vertebrae

joints with ribs - synovial plane, little movement

skull and atlas - synovial ellipsoid, larger degree of movement compared to the plane joint

atlas and axis - synovial pivot, rotation around the process

Question 16

ligaments of the vertebral column

Answer 16

soft tissues that limit movement and stabilise the joints

Question 17

erector spinae

Answer 17

intrinsic back muscles

extension, controlled flexion and lateral flexion

Question 18

what happens when only one side of the erector spinae muscles contract

Answer 18

lateral flexion

both sides contracting = flexion

Question 19

ageing and pathological changes in the spine(4)

Answer 19

dehydration of intervertebral discs - reduced shock absorption

osteoarthritis - pain and stiffness of joints, formation of new bone around the margin of the joint, facet joints can also be affected

osteoporosis - compression fractures altering the curvature of the spine, bone thins and becomes more vulnerable to fractures, leads to excessive thoracic kyphoses)

weakness of back muscles - imbalanced loading of the spine, back pain