Vertebral Column 1 Flashcards
What is the number of vertebrae in a typical adolescent?
33 segments
What is the number of vertebrae in a typical adult?
26 segments
What is the number of vertebrae in the typical spine?
24 segments
What constitutes the spine?
The 24 presacral segments; the cervical, thoracic, & lumbar vertebrae
How many segments unite to form the typical sacrum?
5 segments
How many segments unite to form the typical coccyx?
4 segments
What does the term “cervical” refer to?
Region of the neck
What is the typical number of segments in the cervical region?
7 segments
What does the term “thoracic” refer to?
Breast plate or chest; it referred to the armor bearing region of the torso
What other term is often used to identify the vertebral segments of the chest?
The dorsal segments; the dorsals
What is the typical number of segments in the dorsal or thoracic region?
12 segments
What does the term “lumbar” refer to?
The loin; the region between the rib and the hip
What is the typical number of segments in the lumbar region?
5 segments
What does the term “sacrum” refer to?
The holy bone or holy region
What does the term “coccyx” refer to?
A cuckoo bird’s bill or cuckoo birds’ beak
Which region of the spine is more stable in terms of the number of segments/vertebrae?
The cervical region
Which variations account for the disparity in number and morphology of vertebrae within the population?
Sexual dimorphism (gender), ontogenetic variation (growth or age), geographic variation (population-based), and idiosyncratic variation (individual)
What is the length of a typical male spinal column?
70 cm or 28 in
What is the length of a typical female spinal column?
60 cm or 25 in
What is the difference in length between a typical male and typical female spinal column?
About 3 inches
What is the length of the male cervical region?
12 cm or 5 in
What is the length of the male thoracic region?
28 cm or 11 in
What is the length of the male lumbar region?
18 cm or 7 in
What is the length of the male sacrum?
12 cm or 5 in
