Clinical anatomy of the spine Flashcards
do all spine curvatures develop at the same time?
no
develop at time with movement - walking etc
what are the 2 atypical vertebrae?
atlas
axis
what is the vertebra prominens?
C7
no formaena transverse process (vertebral artery)
bifid spinous process is found where?
cervical vertebrae
what types of joint is the IV joints?
fibrocartilaginous
what do facet joints allow?
flexion, extension and lateral flexion at the facet joints and IV discs - cumulative effect
is there more less flexion in the thoracic spine compared to the cervical spine? why?
less
due to constraint of ribs
which area has the least rotation?
lumbar
due to more vertically orientated facet joints
what gives cervical spine its large rotational ability?
more horizontal facet joints
what happens to IV disc structure with ageing?
loss of water
what can loss of water in the IV joints cause?
overload of facet joints
2 degree OA?
what are the features of a problem with facet joints?
pain which is eased by flexion of the spine
what features suggest IV disc problem?
pain worse with extension of spine
how can OA be treated if in one or two motion segments?
localised fusion
inconsistent results and causes stiff movement
what are the 2 parts of the IV disc?
outer annulus fibrosis
inner gelatinous nucleus pulposis
which vertebra does a disc bulge affect?
the vertebra below
where is IV disc degeneration most common in the spine?
L4/5 and L5/S1
what are the signs of IV disc degeneration?
60% asymptomatic over 45 y/o have bulging discs on MRI
10% have disc extrusion
5% have asymptomatic nerve root compression