Musculo Skeletal Anatomy - Week 2 - Intervertebral joints, articulations and ligaments Flashcards
What are the types of articulation in the vertebral column?
- Cartilaginous articulation of this
type i.e., between vertebral bodies
and discs - Synovial articulation i.e., between zygapophyseal/facet joints
What are the two main joints in the vertebral column?
Intervertebral joints
* Formed by adjacent vertebral
bodies and the intervening
intervertebral disc
Zygapophyseal (facet) joints
* Between the superior and
inferior articular processes of
adjacent vertebral bodies.
What are the articulations/orientations of the Zygapophyseal (facet) joints?
Orientation varies depending on the spinal region:
- Cervical: oriented in a 45-degree oblique plane
(between the coronal and transverse planes). - Thoracic: angled at approximately 60 degrees.
- Lumbar: mainly in the sagittal plane, oriented at
approximately 90 degrees.
What are the 6 main ligaments of the vertebral column/lower cervical
spine?
- Anterior longitudinal
ligaments - Posterior longitudinal
ligaments - Ligamentum flavum
- Interspinous ligaments
- Supraspinous ligaments
- Intertransverse
ligaments
Explain the Anterior longitudinal ligament.
Is it a primary stabilizer? Where is it located?
What does it prevent?
How can it get injured?
- A primary spine stabilizer
- Runs along the anterior surface of
the vertebral bodies from the skull
to the sacrum. - Prevents hyperextension of the
spine - Can be injured in whiplash injuries.
Explain the Posterior longitudinal ligament.
Is it a primary stabilizer? Where is it located?
What does it prevent?
Is it as strong as the ALL?
- A primary spine stabilizer
- Runs along the posterior surface of
the vertebral bodies, inside the
vertebral canal from the base of the
skull to the sacrum - Prevents hyperflexion and posterior
disc herniation - Not as strong as the ALL, which is
why posterolateral disc herniations
are more common
Explain the interspinous ligament.
Where is it located?
What does it attach to?
What does it resist?
- Located between adjacent spinous
processes. - Thin ligament attaches to another
ligament called the ligamentum
flavum that runs deep into the
spinal column - Resists excessive flexion.
Explain the supraspinous ligament.
Where is it located / What does it attach to?
What does it resist?
- Attaches the tip of spinous process
to the other (C7 to the Sacrum) - Provides additional support against
hyperflexion.
Explain the Ligamentum Flavum.
What does it connect?
Where is it located/where does it run?
Is it the strongest ligament?
What are its functions?
- Connects the laminae of adjacent
vertebrae. - Runs from the base of the skull to
the pelvis, also runs in front of the
facet joint capsules - The strongest
Functions:
* Protects the spinal cord and nerves
* Maintains spinal posture and assists in
returning the spine to neutral position
after flexion.
Where are the intertransverse ligaments located and what do they resist?
- They are located between adjacent transverse
processes - Resists lateral bending.
What are the main movements of the spine?
What regions of the spine have the greatest freedom of movement?
What region of the spine has the greatest flexion movement and what area has the greatest extension movement?
- The essential movements of the spine
are flexion, extension, lateral flexion
(lateral bending), and rotation - The greatest freedom of movement
occurs in the cervical and lumbar
spine, with the neck having the greatest
range of motion. - Flexion is greatest in the cervical
region, and extension is greatest in the
lumbar region. - The thoracic region is relatively stable,
as is the sacrum.
Movements of the spine function what?
- Size and compressibility of the intervertebral discs
- Tightness of the joint capsules
- Orientation of the articular facets (zygapophysial joints)
- Muscle and ligament function
- Articulations with the thoracic cage.
