Spinal Anatomy

Question 1

When do children adopt a pivot prone position, and what is the result?

Answer 1

5 months, cervical curve.

Question 2

Numerate each segment.

Answer 2

Cervical: 7
Thoracic: 12
Lumbar: 5
Sacral: 5
Coccyx: 1-3

Question 3

What is the purpose of the spinal cord?

Answer 3

Stability (attch thoracic cage, pelvic girdle) and mobility (attch muscle)

Question 4

How do you define a spinal segment?

Answer 4

2 adjacent vertebrae with the intervening disc, spinal facet joints + all muscle, nerves, ligaments.

Question 5

The lamina attaches to the ___ and the pedicle to the ___.

Answer 5

Spinious process and transverse process

Body and transverse process

Question 6

Where is the pars interarticularis?

Answer 6

The bony bridge that joins an inferior and superior facet joint

Question 7

What planes do the articular processes run in for each spinal section?

Answer 7

CERVICAL: close to transverse plane

THORACIC: 45* in frontal plane

LUMBAR: sagittal, almost vertical

Question 8

The NP is avascular and hydrophilic. What is the orientation of fibers of the annulus? Together, the disk does what?

Answer 8

Diagonal.

Shock absorption, force dissipation and allows movement

Question 9

Zygoapophyseal joints are present at a rate of ___ per segment. They have ___ degrees of freedom which are:

Answer 9

2

3

flex/ext, rotation, side bending

Question 10

T/F: facet joints are weight bearing?

Answer 10

True.

Question 11

Where are the intervertebral forament (IVF) found?

Answer 11

Space between the bodies, facet joints and transverse processes, forming an oval, long vertically.

Question 12

What forms the costavertebral, costotransverse posterior joints, and the costochonral anterior joint?

Answer 12

CV
Vertebral body and associated rib.

CT
Spinal TP and rib

CC
Anterior joints between rib and cartilage

Question 13

What does ligamentum flavum join?

Answer 13

Connects lamina of vertebrae, down spinal canal; elastic.

Question 14

Where does the iliolumbar ligament run?

Answer 14

TP of L4/L5 to iliac crest

Question 15

How does the TrA play a major role in spinal stability?

Answer 15

Either by increasing intra-ab pressure or by creating a rigid cylinder around the spine

Question 16

Where does the spinal cord end and cauda equina being?

Answer 16

L1

Question 17

What are the roots for the cervical plexus, brachial, lumbar and sacral plexus?

Answer 17

CP: C1-C4
BP: C5-T1 (med, uln, rad)
LP: L1-L4 (fem, obt, lat cut)
SP: L4-S3 (sciatic, post cut)

Question 18

T/F: The typical thoracic spinal nerve has posterior, anterior AND lateral rami?

Answer 18

True. Posterior is typically cutaneous to extensor musculature.

Question 19

Does the outter layer of the disc have innervation? What other spinal structures are innervated?

Answer 19

Yes, outer layer only.

ALL, PLL, vertebral body, capsule, synovium of facet joints.