The Spinal Colum

Question 1

What is the spinal column?

Answer 1

The spinal column, also known as vertebral column, protects the spinal cord and supports the head and body.

Question 2

The spinal column consists of how many vertebrae?

Answer 2

26 vertebrae. Each of these bony units is known as vertebra, and the term vertebral means pertaining to the vertbrae.

Question 3

The anterior portion of the vertebra is solid to provide strength and is known as the:

Answer 3

Body of the vertebra

Question 4

The posterior portion of a vertebra is known as the ______. The transverse and spinous processes extend from this area and serve as attachments for muscles and tendons.

Answer 4

Lamina (plural, laminae)
Ex of this vertebra: There are two laminae, located on either side of the spinous process. The lamina is often the site of back surgery when you need to relieve the symptoms caused by pressure on the spinal nerve roots. This can happen in the case of spinal stenosis.

Question 5

What is the vertebral foramen?

Answer 5

The opening in the middle of the vertebra. This opening allows the spinal cord to pass through and to protect the spinal cord.

Question 6

What are the intervertebral disks?

Answer 6

The intervertebral disks, which are made of cartilage, separate and cushion the vertebrae from each other.
*(The lines in between the vertebrae)

Question 7

Where is the cervical vertebrae located on the vertebral column?

Answer 7

The first set of seven vertebrae, and they form the neck.

Question 8

What does the term cervical mean?

Answer 8

Pertaining to the neck, these vertebrae are C1-C7.

Question 9

Where is the thoracic vertebrae in the vertebral column ?

Answer 9

Thoracic vertebrae, known as T1-T12, are the second set of 12 vertebrae.

Question 10

Which pair of vertebrae each have a pair of ribs attached to it, and together they form the outward curve of the spine?

Answer 10

Thoracic vertebrae

Question 11

Thoracic means..

Answer 11

Pertaining to the thoracic cavity

Question 12

Where is the lumbar vertebrae located on the vertebral column?

Answer 12

Lumbar vertebrae make up the third set of five vertebrae (L1-L5), and together they form the inward curve of the lower spine.

Question 13

What is the largest and strongest of the vertebrae, that bear most of the body’s weight?

Answer 13

Lumbar vertebrae

Question 14

What does the term lumbar mean?

Answer 14

Lumbar means relating to the part of the back and sides between the ribs and the pelvis.

Question 15

What are the remaining two vertebrae?

Answer 15

The sacrum and the coccyx. (curved posteriorly)

Question 16

What is the sacrum?

Answer 16

The sacrum is the slightly curved, triangular-shaped bone near the base of the spine that forms the lower portion of the back.

Question 17

At birth, the _____ is composed of five separate bones; however, in the young child, they fuse together to form a single bone.

Answer 17

Sacrum

Question 18

The coccyx, also known as the ________, forms at the end of the spine and is actually made up of four small vertebrae that are fused together.

Answer 18

Tailbone

Question 19

The term coccyx comes from the Greek word for ______, because it resembles their beak

Answer 19

Cuckoo