The Spine Complex

Question 1

What are the functions of the spinal column?

Answer 1

Base of support, link between upper and lower extremities, and protects the spinal cord.

Question 2

What are the five regions of the vertebral column?

Answer 2

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal

Question 3

How many bones are in the vertebral column? disks?

Answer 3

33; 23

Question 4

What makes a spine healthy?

Answer 4

muscle strength, flexibility, posture, body weight, adaptation for tasks, and not pushing the limits of genetic makeup.

Question 5

How many distinct curves are in an adult spine?

Answer 5

4

Question 6

How is the spine shaped prior to birth?

Answer 6

C-shaped

Question 7

What is the key function of spine curvature?

Answer 7

shock absorption

Question 8

What components make spinal movement possible?

Answer 8

intervertebral joints and facet joints

Question 9

Intervertebral discs make up how much of the height of the column?

Answer 9

20-30%

Question 10

What is the thickness of the intervertberal discs in the cervical region? thoracic? lumbar?

Answer 10

3;5;9mm

Question 11

What does the ratio between vertebral body height and disc height dictate?

Answer 11

vertebra mobility

Question 12

Where is the highest ratio between the vertebral body height and the disk height? the lowest? and what do these ratios do?

Answer 12

cervical-allows for motion

thoracic-limits motion

Question 13

Where is the nucleus pulposus in a disc?

Answer 13

in the center, slightly posterior in lumbar

Question 14

What is the nucleus pulposus?

Answer 14

Gelatinous mass rich in water binding PG (proteoglycan) AKA (glycoaminoglycos) GAG-protein molecule.

Question 15

What in the PG molevule gives the disc a hydrophyllic capacity?

Answer 15

Chondrotin-4 sulfate

Question 16

What decreases the hydration of the disc?

Answer 16

age and compressive loading

Question 17

How much of the disc is water?

Answer 17

80-90%

Question 18

What does water do in a disc?

Answer 18

acts as a hydrostatic unit allowing for uniform distribution of pressure throughout the disc.

Question 19

True or False discs are vascular?

Answer 19

False

Question 20

How do discs get nutrition?

Answer 20

diffusion through end-plate

Question 21

What is the structure of the annulus fibrosis?

Answer 21

Collagen arranged in sheets called lamellae

Question 22

How are the lamellae in the annulus fibrosis arranged?

Answer 22

In concentric rings

Question 23

What does the annulus fibrosis do?

Answer 23

Enclose the nucleus, control tensile loading form shear motions and disc forces

Question 24

Where is the annulus fibrosis the thickest?

Answer 24

anteriorly

Question 25

Where does the outermost 1/3 of the annulus fibrosis connect?

Answer 25

the vertebral body via sharpey’s fibers

Question 26

Where does the outer 2/3 of the annulus fibrosis connect?

Answer 26

The end plate

Question 27

Where are the highest incidences of disc herniation?

Answer 27

C5-6; T6-7; L4-5; L5-S1

Question 28

What are the important longitudinal ligaments in the spine?

Answer 28

Supraspinous, anterior longitudinal, posterior longitudinal, ligamentum flavum

Question 29

What do the pedicles and lamina form?

Answer 29

the neural arch

Question 30

Where are the facet joints located?

Answer 30

between the superior and inferior articulating surfaces

Question 31

What do the facet joints do?

Answer 31

guide intervertebral motion through their orientation in the transverse and frontal planes

Question 32

What does the facet joint capsule do?

Answer 32

limit motions, resist flexion, undertake tensile loading, resist lumbar rotation

Question 33

Where is the facet joint capsule the strongest?

Answer 33

In the thoracocolumbar and cervicothoracic regions where curvatures change.

Question 34

What is the intervertebral foramina?

Answer 34

exit for nerve root

Question 35

What dictates the size of the intervertbral foramina?

Answer 35

disc heights and pedicle shape