Vertebral Column

Question 1

What are the functions of the vertebral column?

Answer 1

• support
• weight bearing
• posture
• protection of spinal cord
• attachment site of muscles and ligaments

Question 2

How many vertebrae are there in each section?

Answer 2

• 33 in total
• cervical: 7
• thoracic: 12
• lumbar: 5
• sacral: 5 fused
• coccyx: 5 fused

Question 3

What are the curvatures in each section?

Answer 3

• cervical: concave posteriorly, high mobility
• thoracic: convex posteriorly, low mobility
• lumbar: concave posteriorly, high mobility
• coccyx: convex posteriorly, low mobility

Question 4

Why are some spinal sections more mobile than others?

Answer 4

Thoracic must have little movement as it protects vital organs. Cervical has high mobility to allow head and neck to move.

Question 5

Define lordosis and kyphosis

Answer 5

• lordosis: inward curving
• kyphosis: outward curving

Question 6

Label the diagram below.

Answer 6

Question 7

What is the function and location of spinous and transverse processes?

Answer 7

Location: posterior (SP) and to the side (TP)

Function: attachment for muscles and ligaments

Question 8

Which vertebrae have transverse processes with facets for articulation, what do they articulate with?

Answer 8

Thoracic vertebrae

Articulate with rib bones

Question 9

What is the function of the body of the vertebrae? How does it change throughout the spinal regions?

Answer 9

Protects the vertebral arch

As more weight is put on it (i.e. distal spinal regions) the body gets larger and thicker to accommodate for this

Question 10

What is the lamina of the vertebrae and what is its function?

Answer 10

positioned poterolaterally, forming an arch with the pedicle. Protects the spinal cord

Question 11

What is the vertebral canal formed from and what is its function?

Answer 11

Intervertebral foramen make up the vertebral canal to allow passage of spinal nerves and the spinal cord. Formed by superior and inferior vertebral notches

Question 12

What is the typical vertebrae of each spinal region?

Answer 12

C3. C4, T6, L3 & L2

Question 13

What determines the ROM in the vertebral column?

Answer 13

-Angular spinous processes

Thoracic has angular SPs as it must limit movement in order to protect organs, the luumbar region has straight SPs and thus allows lots of movement

Question 14

What are some characteristics of the cervical vertebrae?

Answer 14

• Bifid spinal process for more muscle attachment with more specificity
• SPs are short and horizontally directed
• thinner body due to less weight demand
• vertebral arh as it contains all descending and ascending nerve tracts
• TPs have holes as it has arteries passing through that supply the brain

Question 15

Describe the atlas and axis vertebrae

Answer 15

atlas and axis are the first two vertebrae that form a pivot joint. Atlas pivots around dens of atlas allowing us to turn our heads.

Question 16

What are some characteristics of thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 16

• vertebral canal is smaller as it has less nerves (upper limb tracts already exited)
• body is heart shaped and larger
• facets of TPs for rib articulation
• SPs are oblique and sit flat on top of one another to limit movement
• SPs are long for muscle attachment

Question 17

What are some characteristics of the lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 17

• large vertbral foramen due to large amount of innervation to lower limb (lumbar enlargement)
• kidney shaped body
• larger body (weight bearing)
• longer TPs for muscle attachment
• SPs horizontally directed, wider and thicker for movement and muscle attachment

Question 18

What are some characteristics of sacral vertebrae?

Answer 18

• vertebrae are fused together as well as the TPs and SPs to accommodate for weight bearing
• links with hips to form the pelvis
• sacral foramina for spinal nerve passage

Question 19

Where are the intervertebral joints located?

Answer 19

between vertebrae

Question 20

Describe intervertebral discs.

Answer 20

Cartilaginous and soft for motion (symphysis, firbocartilaginous).

Annulus fibrosis is the outer most layer which has a more fibrous material to give structural integrity and anchors the to bodies together.

Nucleus pulposis is a gelatinous hydrophilic substance for shock absorption

Question 21

Where does the thickness in the intervertebral discs differ?

Answer 21

where a lot of movement is required the discs are thicker i.e. cervical and lumbar regions

Question 22

What are the ligaments supporting the vertebral column? What are their functions?

Answer 22

• anterior longitudinal ligament: runs along front of the vertebral column to limit extension and keeps the intervertebral disc in the joint
• posterior longitudinal ligament: runs inside the vertebral column to limit posterior movement of the discs

Question 23

What are the movements of the vertebral column? What planes do they occur in?

Answer 23

Flexion and extension (sagittal plane)

lateral flexion (coronal plane)

rotation (transverse plane)

Question 24

To cause

1) extension
2) flexion
3) lateral flexion
4) rotation

Where would muscles lie on the vertebral column?

Answer 24

1) posterior
2) anterior
3) medial/laterally
4) oblique/horizontally directed muscles

Question 25

What group of muscles causes flexion of the vertebral column?

Answer 25

Abdominal muscles

Question 26

State the abdominal muscles, their attachments, their role and their innervation.

Answer 26

1) Rectus abdominus - pubic crest to the xiphoid process and costal cartilage.
2) External obliques - lower ribs to anterior illiac crest and abdominal aponeurosis to linea alba
3) Internal obliques - anterior illiac crest to lower ribs and linea alba
4) Transverse abdominus - deepest abdominal muscle. From hip bone and lower ribs to linea alba and pubis

all innervated by intercostal nerves, all cause flexion of the spinal column

Question 27

What are the two groups of extensor muscles of the vertebral column?

Answer 27

1) Erector spinae group
2) Transversospinalis group

Question 28

What are the characteristics of the erector spinae group?

Answer 28

• superficial group
• upper posterior vertebral structures to lower posterior vertebral structures
• allows extension and lateral flexion

Question 29

What are the characteristics of the transversospinalis muscle group?

Answer 29

• cause collateral rotation

assists extensor spinae group in extension

• more oblique
• deep
• run from SPs to TPs

Question 30

What is the innervation of the erector spinae and transversopsinalis muscle groups?

Answer 30

regional spinal nerves