Vertebral Column

Question 1

What are the 33 vertebrae

Answer 1

7 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral - fused to form sacrum
4 coccygeal - fused to form coccyx

Question 2

Primary curvatures of the spine

Answer 2

Thoracic

Sacral

Question 3

Secondary curvatures of the spine

Answer 3

Cervical

Lumbar

Question 4

Abnormal curvatures (3)

Answer 4

Kyphosis - increase in thoracic (humpback)
Lordosis - increase in lumbar (swayback)
Scoliosis - lateral curvature and rotation

Question 5

Joints of vertebrae (3)

Answer 5

Intervertebral discs (*fibrocartilagenous)
Zygopophyseal (plane-type synovial) - sup/inf articular facets
Craniovertebral
- Atlanto-occipital - C1 + occipital condyles
- Atlantoaxial - C1 + C2

Question 6

What evenly distributes weight in the intervertebral disc? (2)

Answer 6

Annulus fibrosus

Nucleus pulposus

Question 7

Ligaments of vertebrae (6)

Answer 7

Longitudinal – anterior & posterior to vertebral body
Ligamentum flavum - posterior part of vertebral canal
Interspinous - between spinous processes
Supraspinous - posterior to the spinous processes
Intertransverse
Nuchal Ligament (only in neck)

Question 8

Superficial back muscles (5)

Answer 8

Trapezius
Latissimus dorsi
Levator scapulae
Rhomboid major
Rhomboid minor

Question 9

Intermediate back muscles

Answer 9

Serratus Posterior Superior

Serratus Posterior Inferior

Question 10

Trapezius innervated by:

Answer 10

Accessory nerve (CN 11)

Question 11

Levator scapulae innervated by:

Answer 11

dorsal scapular nerve

Question 12

Latissimus dorsi innervated by:

Answer 12

thoracodorsal nerve

Question 13

Rhomboids innervated by:

Answer 13

dorsal scapular nerve

Question 14

Serratus posteriors innervated by:

Answer 14

local intercostal nerves

Question 15

Deep/intrinsic muscles innervated by:

Answer 15

dorsal primary rami

Question 16

Deep muscles of back - superficial group (2)

Answer 16

Splenius capitis

Splenius cervicis

Question 17

Deep muscles of back - intermediate group (3)

Answer 17

Erector Spinae

- Iliocostalis
- Longissimus
- Spinalis

Question 18

Deep muscles of back - deep group (6)

Answer 18

Transversospinal group
     - Semispinalis  --> capitis, cervicis, and thoracis
     - Multifidus
     - Rotatores --> breves and longus
Deep group (*very tiny muscles)
     - Interspinales
     - Intertransversarii
     - Levatores costorum

Question 19

Muscles of suboccipital region (4)

Answer 19

Rectus capitis posterior major
Rectus capitis posterior minor
Obliquus capitis inferior
Obliquus capitis superior

Question 20

Borders of suboccipital triangle

Answer 20

Lateral - obliquus capitis superior
Inferior - obliquus capitis inferior
Superomedial - rectus capitis posterior major
Floor - atlanto-occipital membrane and posterior arch of C1
Roof - semispinalis capitis

Question 21

Contents of suboccipital triangle

Answer 21

Vertebral artery
Suboccipital nerve (dorsal primary ramus of C1)

**Greater occipital nerve (C2) comes out BELOW triangle then runs over TOP of triangle to go to head