Vertebral column and muscles Flashcards
Healthy spines are characterized by ____ in the cervical and lumbar spines, and ____ in the thoracic spine and sacrum.
Lordosis; Kyphosis
The vertebral column is comprised of ____ vertebrae and the intervening intervertebral discs.
33
_ cervical vertebrae (C__-C__)
7 (C1-C7)
___ thoracic vertebrae (T1-T__)
12 (T1-T12)
__ lumbar vertebrae (L1-L__)
5 (L1-L5)
_ sacral vertebrae (S1-S_, which are fused into one)
5 (S1-S5)
___ coccygeal vertebrae (small, fused)
4
What two structures make up the vertebral arch
Pedicles and Lamina
The articular sides of the inferior and superior articular processes are covered in
cartilage and are called ____.
Articular Facets
Inferior articular facets of one vertebrae articulate with the superior articular facets
of the vertebrae below to form the _____ (Facet Joints).
Zygapophyseal Joints
The open area under the pedicle and
behind the vertebral body is called the
___ Vertebral Notch, and the small
notch above the pedicle is called the
____ Vertebral Notch.
Inferior; Superior
Which vertebrae makes up the atlas bone?
C1
Which vertebrae makes up the axis bone?
C2
C7, the ______, has a long, prominent spinous process.
Vertebra Prominens,
Two craniovertebral joints
- Two Atlantooccipital Joints exist between C1 and the occipital condyles of the skull (“yes”).
- The Atlantoaxial Joints exist between C1 and C2 (“no”).
○ One median joint - Dens to anterior arch of C1.
○ Two lateral joints - Superior to inferior articular facets.
Thoracic vertebrae have long spinous processes that project _____
inferiorly
Thoracic facet joints are oriented in more of a ____ plane, overlapping like shingles on a roof.
coronal
The _____ is a part of the lumbar lamina between the superior and inferior articular facets that is a common fracture site.
Pars Interarticularis
The Sacrum is a single bone made of _____
five fused sacral vertebrae.
The vertebral canal continues into the sacrum via the _____
sacral canal
The Sacral Canal is a continuation of the
vertebral canal and is open inferiorly as the
_____.
Sacral Hiatus
The sacral _____ is the superior anterior lip
of the S1 vertebral body that acts as an important landmark.
Promontory
The Coccyx is a small bone that is a fusion of 4 (3-5) small coccygeal vertebrae, which
articulates at the _____
Sacrococcygeal Joint.
There are two Joints of the Vertebral Bodies
- Uncovertebral Joints (3) exist between
vertebral bodies from C3 through C7.
■ They form between Uncinate Processes
(lateral lips on the superior edges of the
vertebral bodies) and the vertebral body
superior to them. - Intervertebral Joints (4) exists between
vertebral bodies from C2 through S1.
■ They form between the intervertebral
discs and the articular surfaces of the
vertebral bodies.
Ligamentous Intervertebral Discs act as shock absorbers and have two parts:
○ An outer fibrous ring called the Annulus Fibrosus.
○ An inner gelatinous core called the Nucleus Pulposus.
_____ herniations can compress the dural sac.
Central
What can cause cause the nucleus
pulposus to herniate through
weakened areas?
Combination of decreased elasticity of the
annulus fibrosus as we age age combined with compressive forces on the area
The ____are important ligaments that connect the occipital bone of the skull to the anterior and posterior arches of the Atlas.
Atlantooccipital Membranes
The ____ Ligaments, including the apical ligament, securing the Dens of C2 to
the occipital bone just anterior to the foramen magnum.
Alar
The _____ Ligament has two perpendicular components that secure the Dens against the anterior arch of the Atlas.
Cruciform
broad fibrous band covering the
anterior vertebral bodies from the
occipital bone to the sacrum
Anterior longitudinal ligament
thin fibrous band extending from
C2 to the sacrum along the posterior
vertebral bodies (anterior canal).
Posterior Longitudinal Ligament
What ligament is “yellow”? Where is it located?
Ligamentum Flavum joins the lamina of adjacent vertebrae posteriorly.
This Ligament runs along the ridge of the spinous processes.
Supraspinous Ligament
The superior aspect of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament extends into the
skull as the _____
Tectorial Membrane.
In the cervical spine, the ____ Ligament is a fin-like expansion of the Supraspinous Ligament that extends from the occipital bone to the spinous process of C7.
Nuchal
Splenius Capitis
O: nuchal ligament of C3-C7
I: lateral superior
nuchal line of the occipital bone.
I: Spinal nerves C1 through C6
A: extend the cervical
spine and contributes to head
rotation and flexion.
Superficial back muscle group:
Splenius capitis
Splenius Cervicis
Splenius Cervicis
O: the spinous processes of
T3-T6
I: transverse processes of C1 and C2.
I: Spinal nerves C1 through C6
A: extend the cervical
spine and contributes to head
rotation and flexion.
Intermediate intrinsic back muscle group
Iliocostalis (3 parts)
Longissimus
Spinalis
Deep intrinsic back muscle group
Transversospinalis muscles (3)
■ Rotatores (brevis and longus)
■ Multifidus
■ Semispinalis (thoracis, cervicis, capitis)
Iliocostalis
3 parts: Iliocostalis cervicis, iliocostalis
thoracis, and iliocostalis
lumborum.
O: Cervicis originates from ribs 3-7; Thoracis originates from ribs
7-12; Lumborum originates from the
sacrum, iliac crest, and
thoracolumbar fascia
I: Cervisis on transverse processes of
C4-C6; Thoracis on ribs 1-6; Lumborum on ribs 6-12
I: C8-L1 spinal nerves
A: extend and laterally bend the spine.
Longissimus
three main parts: Longissimus capitis, longissimus cervicis, and longissimus thoracis.
O: Capitis originates from C4-T3 TPs; Cervicis originates from T1-T6 TPs; originates from the sacrum, iliac crest, and lumbar vertebral processes
I: Capitis on the mastoid process of
temporal bone; Cervicis on C2-C5
TPs; Thoracis on ribs 2-12.
I: C1-L5 spinal nerves
A: extend and laterally bend the head & spine.
Spinalis
Two main parts: Spinalis
cervicis and spinalis thoracis.
O: Spinalis cervicis originates from the
C5-T2 spinous processes; Thoracis from the T10-L3 spinous processes
I: Spinalis Cervicis on the C2-C5 spinous processes; Thoracis on the T2-T8 spinous
processes.
I: spinal nerves at these same levels.
A: extend the cervical and thoracic spine, as well as lateral bending.
Transversospinalis Muscles
■ Rotatores (brevis and longus)
■ Multifidus
■ Semispinalis (thoracis, cervicis, capitis)
○ Mostly extend from TP to SP of the vertebrae.
○ Innervated by posterior rami of local spinal nerves.
○ Actions:
■ Semispinalis cervicis and capitis extend, rotate, and laterally flex the head and cervical spine.
■ The rest work to extend, rotate, and laterally flex the rest of the spine.
Deep Segmental Muscles
■ Interspinales
■ Intertransversarii
■ Levatores costarum
○ The Interspinales and Intertransversarii connect adjacent vertebrae, while Levatores costarum connect vertebrae to nearby ribs.
○ Innervated by posterior rami of local spinal nerves.
○ Actions:
■ The muscles help stabilize the vertebral
column and help to extend, rotate, and
laterally flex the head and spine.
Suboccipital muscle group
○ Rectus Capitis Posterior Major and Minor
○ Obliquus Capitis Superior and Inferior
Innervation: suboccipital nerve
● RCP Major originates from C2 and RCP Minor originates from C1; both insert on the occipital bone.
● OC Superior originates from the C1 TP and inserts on the occipital bone; OC Inferior originates from C2 and inserts
on C1 TP.
Sternocleidomastoid
O: sternal head originates from the manubrium and the clavicular head from
the medial clavicle.
I: on the mastoid process of the temporal bone and the superior lateral nuchal line of the occipital bone.
I: Cranial Nerve 11 (Accessory Nerve).
A: tilts to the head to that side and rotates to the opposite side. Bilateral contraction extends the head.
Prevertebral muscle group
○ Longus capitis
○ Longus colli
○ Rectus capitis anterior
○ Rectus capitis lateralis
Innervation: spinal nerves C1-C6
O: from the cervical and upper thoracic
vertebrae
I: on cervical vertebrae or basilar occipital bone.
A: flex the head and neck
The Carotid Triangle is an important landmark bound by the ____
Sternocleidomastoid, the digastric,
and the sternohyoid muscle on the lateral trachea.
This triangle contains the Carotid bifurcation/body, the Hypoglossal nerve, & the Vagus nerve
Carotid triangle
