Vertebral Column Flashcards
Vertebral column
33 vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs
Functions of vertebral column
Protection - encloses and protects spinal cord within spinal canal
Support - carries weight of body above the pelvis
Axis - forms central axis of body
Movement - posture and movement
How many cervical?
7
How many thoracic?
12
How many lumbar?
5
How many sacral?
5, fused
How many coccyx?
4, fused
Common structure of vertebrae
Anterior vertebral body and posterior vertebral arch
Vertebral body
Forms anterior part
Weight bearing component (larger bodies in lower portion to support increased weight)
Superior and inferior aspects of vertebral body lined with hyaline cartilage
Adjacent vertebral bodies separated by fibrocartilaginous intervertebral disc
Vertebral arch
Forms lateral and posterior aspect of vertebrae
With the vertebral body, vertebral arch forms enclosed hole (vertebra, foramen)
Vertebral canal
Foramina of vertebrae line up to form vertebral canal which enclose the spinal cord
Bony prominences off vertebral arches
Spinous processes, transverse processes, pedicels, lamina, articular processes
Spinous processes
Each vertebra has single spinous process centred posteriorly at point of arch
Transverse processes
Each vertebrae has 2 transverse processes, extend laterally and posteriorly from vertebral body
In thoracic vertebrae the transverse processes articulate with ribs
Pedicles
Connect vertebral body to transverse processes
Lamina
Connect transverse and spinous processes
Articular processes
Form joints between one vertebra and it’s superior and inferior counterparts
Articular processes located at intersection of laminae and pedicles
Features of cervical vertebrae
Bifid spinous process - the spinous process bifurcates at distal end (exceptions: C1 has no spinous process and spinous process in C7 is longer)
Transverse foramina - an opening in each transverse process, vertebral arteries travel to brain through this
Triangular vertebral foramen
C1
Atlas, specialised to allow movement for the head
C2
Axis, specialised to allow movement for the head
Thoracic vertebrae
Increase in size from superior to anterior
Articulate with bony ribs producing bony thorax
Demi facets
Superior and inferior on either side of vertebral body
Articulate with heads of two different ribs
Transverse processes of thoracic vertebrae
Costal facet for articulation with shaft of single rib
Spinous processes
Inferior and posterior
Vertebral foramen of thoracic vertebrae
Circular
Lumbar vertebrae
Largest in vertebral column
Support weight of torso
Large vertebral bodies (no transverse for mains, costal facets, bifid spinous processes)
Triangular shaped vertebral foramen
Spinous process shorter
Needle access
Lumbar vertebrae
Sacrum
On the lateral walls, facets for articulation with pelvis at sacroiliac joints
Coccyx
Lack of vertebral arches therefore no vertebral canal
Lumbarisation
Separation of S1 from sacrum (congenital abnormalities)
Sacralisation
Fusion of L5 to sacrum (congenital abnormality)
Articulating with each other
Left and right superior articular facets articulate with vertebra above
Left and right inferior articular facets articulate with vertebra below
Vertebral bodies indirectly articulate with each other via intervertebral discs
Anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
Strengthen vertebral body joints, run full length of vertebral column
Anterior longitudinal ligament is thick, prevents hyper extension of vertebral column
Posterior longitudinal ligament is weaker, prevents hyper Flexion
Facet joints
Joints between articular facets, allowing for gliding motions between vertebrae
Ligamentum flavum
Extends between lamina of adjacent vertebrae
Interspinous and supraspinous
Join the spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae. Interspinous ligaments attach between processes and the supraspinous ligaments attach to the tips
Intertransverse ligaments
Extends between transverse processes
