Upper Limb - Spine Flashcards
What is the flat rounded body anteriocentrally in the spinal column?
vertebral body
What forms the spinal foramen?
vertebral body and neural arch
What passes through the spinal foramen?
spinal cord
What is the spinous process?
a projection of bone posteriorly and inferiorly
What processes project laterally?
transverse processes
What do the processes of the vertebrae provide?
attachments for muscles and ligaments
What 3 articulations do each vertebra have with each other?
intervertebral disc
2 facet joints
Where does the nucleus pulposus lie?
the centre of intervertebral discs
What forms the nucleus pulposus?
strongly hydrophilic gel enmeshed in a collagen matrix
Why is there an elevated pressure in the nucleus pulposus?
to balance out the compress stress applied
What happens when stress on the intervertebral discs is removed?
it rehydrates
What is the annulus fibrosis?
a tough layer which surrounds the nucleus pulposus
What is the structure of the annulus fibrosis?
collagen lamellae with alternating orientation to bear both bending and torsional loads
How many vertebrae make up the cervical spine?
7
Describe the atlas
it has no vertebral body but has a bony ring which articulates with the axis
Describe the axis
The axis has an articular process which projects vertically form the vertebral body to articulate with the atlas
What is the projection from the axis called?
dens
How many vertebrae are in the thoracic spine?
12
What do the vertebrae in the thoracic spine attach to?
a pair of ribs
Where are the two articulations between the rib and the vertebral body?
the head of the rib articulates with the body
the tubercle of the rib articulates with the transverse process
What do the two articulation of the ribs with the thoracic vertebrae allow?
movement with breathing
How many lumber vertebrae are there? why are their vertebral bodies larger?
5
They have to withstand higher loads than any other vertebrae in the body
How many sacral vertebrae have fused to create it?
5
How many vertebrae have fused to create the coccyx?
4/5
Where does the large range of motion of the spine come from?
the combined ROM of many vertebrae
Where does most flexion and extension of the spine occur?
cervical spine
Where does the least flexion extension of the spine occur?
thoracic spine
At what point does forward bending begin to come from pelvis tilt?
50-60 degrees
Between which two vertebrae is there no lateral bending?
C1 and C2
Which two vertebrae have the largest rotation?
C1 and C2
As the moment arm of the upper body increases, does the loading on the lumbar spine increase or decrease?
increases
In what positions does the upper body moment become larger?
erect sitting, bending over, relaxed sitting
What counterbalances the moment of the upper body weight?
posterior back muscles
