The Back: Bones, Joints, Ligaments & Muscles Flashcards
What are the different vertebral regions of the spine, and how many vertebrae does each consist of?
(C) Cervical (7) (T) Thoracic (12) (L) Lumbar (5) (S) Sacral (5 fused to 1) (Co) Coccygeal ( variable 3/4 fused to 1/2
What are the functions of the spinal cord?
+ Locomotion
+ Supports body weight
+ Protects and transmits spinal cord and nerves
What is primary curvature?
+ Kyphosis
+ Concave anteriorly
+ Bases on spinal curvature in utero
+ Remains in thoracic and sacral regions
What is secondary curvature?
+ Lordosis
+ Concave posteriorly
+ Cervical and lumbar regions
What are the different movements allowed throughout the vertebral column, to varying degrees?
+ Extension
+ Flexion
+ Lateral flexion
+ Rotation
What are the features of a typical vertebra?
\+ Body \+ Vertebral foramen (canal) \+ Pedicle \+ Transverse process \+ Superior articular facet \+ Inferior articular facet \+ Lamina \+ Spinous process (spine)
What are features of typical cervical vertebrae?
Body: smaller, short AP diameter, longer lateral diameter
Uncinate Processes at lateral edges, synovial articulation with vertebra above
Superior articular facets: flat, facing superiorly and posteriorly
Bifid spine (C7 is not bifid, but prominent)
Vertebral foramen: large, triangular
Foramen transversarium
What movements are assocciated with the cervical region?
- Flexion is greatest movement
2. Some lateral flexion
What are features of typical thoracic vertebrae?
Body: heart shapes, longer AP diameter, shorter later diameter
Costal demi-facts: upper (articulation with head of own rib) lower (articulation with head below)
Transverse process: long with a facet for articulation with the tubercel of its own rib
Superior articular facets: flat and facing postero-laterally, on the arc of a circle
Spinous process/spine: long and pointing inferiorly, overlapping 2 vertebrae
What movements are associated with the thoracic region?
- Rotation is the greatest movement
What are features of typical lumbar vertebrae
Body: large for weight bearing, short AP, diameter, longer lateral diameter
Vertebral foramen: small, triangular
Transverse process: length and size variable, 3rd is longest
Superior articular facets: concave, facing postero-medially (interlocking with inferior facets)
Spinous process/spine: sturdy, stumpy, quadrangular
What movements are associated with the lumbar region?
- Extension is greatest movement
- Then flexion
- Some lateral flextion
- No rotation
What are the faetures of the sacrum and coccyx from an anteroinferior view?
\+ Sacral promontory \+ Ala \+ S1 \+ Anterior foramen \+ Coccyx
What are the features of the sacrum and coccyx from a posterosuperior
view?
\+ Median crest \+ Intermediate crest \+ Lateral crest \+ Posterior foramen \+ Sacral hiatus
What are the two atypical vertebrae?
Atlas and Axis
What are the features of the atlas?
Anterior (short) and posterior (long) arches between two lateral masses but no body
Transverse process with foramen
Superior articular facets: concave oval to reciprocate with the occipital condyles
Inferior facets: flat, circular to articulate with the axis
Groove for vertebreal artery
What movements are associated with the atlas?
Flexion and extension at the atlanto-occipital joint
What are the features of the axis?
Body: with odontoid process or Dens for articulation with the anterior arch of the atlas
Transverse process with foramen
Vertebral foramen: large, triangular
Spinous process/spine is bifid
Superior articular facets: flat and circular to reciprocate with the inferior facets of the atlas
What movements are associated with the axis?
Rotation of the head and neck at the atlanto-axial joint, around the odontoid process
What are features of the joints of the vertebral colum?
- Zygopophyseal facet joints: synovial with fibrous capsule and supportive ligaments
- Intervertebral (IV) discs of fibrocartilage (symphysis or 2y cartilaginous joint)
Where in the vertebral column doe the spinal nerves emerge?
The intervertebral foramen
What are the boundaries of the intervertebral foramen?
- Pedicle
- Vertebral body
- IV disc inferiorly
What are features of the IV discs?
+ They bind the ventral bodies together
+ Contribute to the shape of the spinal curvatures
+ Form 20-25% of the length of the column
+ Consist of the anulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus
What are features of the anulus fibrosus?
+ Very strong
+ Concentric lamellae of fibrocartilage
What are features of the nucleus pulposis?
+ Draws in water
+ Semi-fluid
+ Tense and resilient
+ Flexible