Cervical Spine: Anatomy Flashcards
% of pt with neck pain that develop chronic symptoms
30%
Vertebral artery: where does it branch from?
from the posterior/superior portion of the subclavian artery
Where does the vertebral artery enter the transverse foramen?
C6
Where does the vertebral artery exit?
C1 transverse foramen
After exiting the C1 transverse foramen, the vertebral artery wraps around
posterior arch of C1
Vertebral artery: What does it become proximally?
basilar artery
Vertebral artery: travels through these to become the basilar artery
OA membrane
foramen magnum
Cervical facet joints are __˚ in this plane
45˚ in the frontal plane
Uncinate process run from
C2-3 to C7-T1
uncinate processes limit this motion
sidebending
uncinate processes help guide these movements
flexion/extension
uncinate processes help prevent disc herniations from protruding in these directions
posterior/lateral
uncinate processes often show signs of
degeneration
Alar ligament attaches where
dorsolateral surface of the dens to occipital condyles
alar ligament: resists these motions
flexion
CL sidebending/rotation
L alar ligament resists (R/L) lateral flexion and (R/L) rotation
R lateral flexion
R rotation
What is the key ligament for stabilizing C1-2?
alar ligament
This ligament holds the dens against C1
transverse ligament
Transverse ligament: prevents this motion at C1
anterior translation
alar ligament: attaches where?
lateral masses of atlas
If this ligament is injured, AA instability will exist
transverse ligament
What does the suboccipital triangle do?
fine tuning of positional changes
What are the deep cervical stabilizers?
- longus colli
- longus capitus
- rectus capitus anterior and lateralis
Major muscle groups of the neck
- suboccipital triangle
- deep cervical stabilizers
- scalenes
resting position of the neck
midway between flexion and extension
close packed position of the neck
full extension
capsular pattern of the neck
- sidebending and rotation equally limited
- extension
The (superior aspect) atlas has two ellipsoid concave joint surfaces that face these directions
medial
superior
The occiput has two convex jt surfaces that face these directions
lateral
inferior
OA joint: how many degrees of motion
2
OA joint: Amt of flex/ext
15-20˚
OA joint: Amt of sidebending
10˚
OA joint: Amt of rotation
negligible
OA joint: flexion arthrokinematics
condyles glide posterior and superior on C1
OA joint: extension arthrokinematics
condyles glide anterior and inferior on C1
OA joint: R sidebending arthrokinematics
R occiput
MIA (medial, inferior, anterior)
OA joint: R sidebending arthrokinematics
L occiput
LPS (lateral, posterior, superior)
Mnemonic for remembering OA sidebend arthrokinematics
MIA has nice LiPS
AA joint: inferior articular surfaces are (shape)
bi-convex
AA joint: superior articular surfaces of C2 are (shape)
bi-convex
but bi-concave due to cartilage
AA joint: How many degrees of movement?
2
AA joint: planes of movement
transverse plane
sagittal plane
