The Spine Flashcards
The vertebral column starts at the ______, goes to the ______ and accounts for / of the height of the body.
Skull
Pelvis
2/5
The vertebral column encloses and protects the ______ _____ and while allowing the motor/sensory ______ to enter exit.
spinal cord
nerves
The vertebral column is composed of how many bones?
26
How are the bones f the vertebral column divided?
7-cervical 12-thoracic 5-lumbar 1-sacrum 1-coccyx
The sacrum is made from how many fused sacral vertebrae?
5
The coccyx is made from__ fused ________ bones.
4
coccygeal
The body of a vertebra is also called the?
centrum
Describe the body of a vertebra
Anterior portion: A mass of spongy bone covered with a thin layer of compact bone
It is a thick, disc-shaped area
It is weight bearing
The vertebral arch is the…
The posterior portion of a vertebra
The vertebral arch is composed of 2 ______ and 2 ______
lamina
pedicles
Vertebral pedicles are ….
thick, short processes that angle away from the body leaving space for the spinal cord
Vertebral lamina are, and form the…
they come back together to form the spinal process posteriorly
The space formed by the lamina and pedicles is the?
vertebral foramen
The vertebral foramen becomes the vertebral canal when»>
2 or more vertebrae are stacked
Spinal nerves exit the spinal cord (on the side) through the _______ ______, formed by notches in the _____ of adjacent vertebrae.
intervertebral foramen
pedicles
What are the 7 processes of a vertebra?
1 Spinous process
2 Transverse processes
2 Upper-Facing Processes: Superior Articular Processes
2 Lower-Facing Processes: Inferior Articular Processes
The intervertebral disc is a _____ between the vertebra and is composed of these two parts.
pad
anulus fibrosis; nucleus pulposus
1/4 of the height of the spinal column comes from the _______ _____.
Intervertebral discs
The anulus fibrosis is:
Outer Portion of the intervertebral disc
A fibrous ring
Made from fibrocartilage
The nucleus pulposus is:
Inner portion
Soft, pulpy, highly elastic gelatinous mass
Why are the intervertebral discs important?
1- Permit various movements in the spinal column
2- Absorb vertical shock
They flatten, broaden, and bulge under compression
How does a disc herniate? What does this pressure?
If the anulus fibrosus cracks, (usually posteriorly) then the nucleus pulposus protrudes out and now you have a herniated disc
This puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves
The _______ vertebra are the smallest and lightest of the vertebra.
cervical
In general, C3-C6 have a _________ foramen in each _______ _______.
transverse
transverse process
What passes through the transverse process?
A vertebral artery
The spinous process of C3-C6 is _______.
Bifid (has 2 little bulbs at the end)
The C1 is called the ______ and does not have a _______ (part of other vertebra).
Atlas
Body
Describe the appearance of the atlas
Actually a u-ring of bone, on each side there is a lateral mass that fits into the occipital condyle
Is there a disc between C1 and C2?
No.
The C2 is called the ______ and has a tooth-like process called the _______ that articulates with the _______.
Axis
Dens
Atlas
The dens is held in place by the ______ _______ of the atlas, and this joint is called the _________ joint.
Transverse ligament
Atlantoaxial
How can the dens cause injury?
The dens can be driven into the foramen magnum into the brain stem (medulla)
The C7 is called the ______ ______ because ……
Vertebra prominens
This spinous process is long and forms a prominent bump on the lower back of the neck
How is the C7 differentiated from C3-C6?
No bifid process
Each thoracic vertebra articulates bilaterally with the _____.
Ribs
The first 10 thoracic vertebra have _____ on the transverse process that articulate with the ______ of the ribs
Facets
Tubercles
On a vertebra, the _______ ______ are depressions with cartilage in them that articulate with ribs.
Costal facets
T11-T12 have no costal facets on the transverse process because ribs 11-12 only attach to the _______ _______.
Vertebral bodies
Describe the spinous process of a thoracic vertebra
Spinous processes are relatively pointed and angled dow
The bodies of thoracic vertebrae are _____than cervical vertebrae, but smaller than _______ vertebrae.
Bigger
Smaller
Describe a lumbar vertebra
Largest and strongest vertebrae
Thick and stout body
Describe the spinous process of a lumbar vertebra
Blunt, square-ish spinous process that comes relatively straight out
Where does the spinal cord end?
L3.
The sacrum is a ______-shaped bone, made of ____ fused vertebrae, that fuse at age _____.
triangle
5
16
The ala of the sacrum is:
“wing” large, rough, wing-like extensions
What part of the sacrum articulates with L5?
Superior articular process
Describe the median sacral crest
Only visible in posterior view
The spinous processes of the sacral vertebrae have fused into a ridge
What is the sacral canal?
Like a vertebral canal, runs through through the sacrum
Contains spinal nerve roots
The sacral canal ends at the _____ ______.
Sacral hiatus
The posterior sacral foramina transmit what?
Dorsal rami of sacral-spinal nerves
The anterior sacral foramina transmit what?
Ventral rami of sacral-spinal nerves
What condition occurs if the vertebral arch does not close dorsally?
Spina bifida
At what age does the coccyx fuse? And what bird is it alleged to resemble?
Age 20-30
The bill of the cuckoo bird
What are the three spinal ligaments?
Anterior longitudinal
Posterior longitudinal
Nuchal
The anterior longitudinal ligament is:
A broad sheath along the anterior surface of the vertebral bodies
The posterior longitudinal ligament is:
Narrow sheath along posterior surface of vertebral bodies
The nuchal ligament:
Attaches at external occipital protuberance
Binds the skull to the vertebral column (along the tips of the spinal processes)
After C7 the nuchal ligament is called the _________ ligament which runs to the _______.
Supraspinous
Sacrum
Why is the spine curved? What is it’s shape as a baby?
Curves increase strength, flexibility, balance, and resilience
C-Shaped
Scoliosis is:
A lateral deviation of the spine
Kyphosis is:
Exaggerated thoracic curvature “hunchback”
Lordosis is:
Exaggerated lumbar curvature “swayback”
Define the bony thorax
Ribcage area providing a protective enclosure
The vertebrae are posterior; ribs are lateral; sternum is anterior
The manubrium of the sternum is:
triangular superior portion
The superior margin of the sternum is also called the ______ ______ and can be felt _______.
Jugular notch
midline
The body of the sternum is called the ______ and is the middle and largest portion.
gladiolus
Describe the xiphoid process
Inferior and smallest portion
Where the manubrium meets the gladioulus there is a landmark called the ______ ______. What is this used to find?
Sternal angle
2nd rib
What ribs attach to be manubrium of the sternum?
1 and 2
What ribs attach to the body of the sternum?
Parts of the 2nd.
3-7
How to ribs 8-10 attach to the sternum?
Thru the costal cartilage of rib 7.
Where do ribs 11 and12 attach anteriorly?
Do not attach to the sternum; ends are embedded in lumbar musculature
How many pairs of “true” ribs are there? What makes them “true”?
7 pairs
They attach directly to the sternum.
How many pairs of “false” ribs are there? What makes them false?
5 pairs
They do not attach to the sternum
What are the “floating ribs”?
The last of the false ribs, and do not attach at all to the sternum
What is costal cartilage?
A flexible cartilage that permits the thoracic cavity to expand during respiration
Connects the ribs to the sternum
What is the head of a rib?
articulates with the bodies of two adjacent vertebrae
What is the neck of a rib?
narrowing between the head and tubercle
What is the tubercle of a rib?
articulates with the costal facet on the same # rib
eg 9th rib to T9 transverse process
What is the body of a rib?
main part of the rib
What is the angle of a rib? Why is it notable?
Point of greatest curvature in body of rib
Weakest part of the rib
What is the sternal end of a rib?
where rib attaches to costal cartilage (and to sternum)
What is a separated rib?
A rib that is separated from it’s costal cartilage
