SPINE ANATOMY Flashcards
how many cervical vertebrae
7
how any cervical nerves
8
how many thoracic vertebrae
12
how many lumbar vertebrae
5
how many sacral and coccygeal vertebrae
sacral - 5
coccygeal 4
what separates vertebrae
intervertebral discs
what is weight bearing part of vertebra
vertebral body
2 parts of the intervertebral disc
outer - annulus fibrosus
inner - nucleus pulposus
what part of vertebra connects to vertebral body
pedicles
what are the lateral bony prominences in the vertebra
transverse processes
what connect the vertebra to the one above
superior articular processes
what is the palpable superficial bony prominence of a vertebra
spinous process
what connects the spinous process to the rest of the vertebra
lamina
what is different about cervical vertebrae
have foramen transversium (vertebral arteries travel through these)
have bifid spinous processes (except atlas and C7
vertebral foramen is triangular shaped
what is C1
atlas
what is C2
axis
special feature of vertebral vertebrae
demi facets - connects to respective rib and rib inferior to it
costal facet on transverse processes
what kind of joints are between vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs
cartilaginous joints
what ligaments run immediately in front and behind vertebral bodies
anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
what direction is vertebral disc likely to herniate and why
posterolateral - posterior longitudinal ligament prevents it from going straight back so goes to one side
what is the joint that forms between articular processes
facet joints
what ligament is between the lamina of the spine
ligamentum flavum
what ligament is between the spinous processes
interspinal ligaments
what ligament runs posteriorly down tips of spinous processes
suprasinous ligaments
where does spinal cord end
L1/L2
what is name of spinal cord end
conus medullaris
what do spinal nerves continue as after conus medullaris
cauda equina
what does cauda equine become
filum terminale
grey/white matter is on the outside in spinal cord
white
spinal nerves leave above/below their named vertebra
below (except in cervical region)
what are the 3 parts of the trapezius
descending
transverse
ascending
what muscles are a common cause of back pain
erector spinae
where do erector spinae muscles attach to
common tendon attaching to sacrum and iliac crests
what are the 3 parts of erector spinae muscles and what do they attach to
iliocostalis - attach to rib angles and tubercles
longissimus - attach to transverse processes, extends to skull
spinalis - insertions to spinour processes
what are the deep intrinsic back muscles and what do they attach to
transversospinalis - between transverse and spinous processes
where do nerves supplying motor and sensory to back muscles come from
posterior spinal rami (myotome/dermatome distribution)
what muscles cause flexion of spine
psoas major and rectus abdominis
what curvatures of spine are primary and which are secondary
primary - thoracic and sacral kyphosis
secondary - cervical and lumbar lordosis
where is odontoid process
on C2 - axis
