Vertebral Column and the Muscles of the Back Flashcards
•All vertebrae have a ______ that surrounds and protects the spinal cord
vertebral foramen
cervical vertebrae have transverse foramen for the ____ ______
vertebral artery
Vertebral column in a adult typically consists of ____ vertebrae arranged in ______ regions
33; 5
spinal vertebrae regions and how many vertebrae
- Cervical (7)
- Thoracic (12)
- Lumbar (5)
- Sacral (5)
- Coccygeal (4)
thoracic vertebrae articulate with the ____
ribs
lumbar vertebrae are ____
large and massive for weight bearing
•Motion only occurs between 24 vertebrae:
7 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
•The 5 sacral vertebrae are fused in adults forming the ___
sacrum
•4 coccygeal vertebrae are fused to form the _____
coccyx (tailbone)
_____ help align our bodies center of gravity and provide shock absorption throughout the gait cycle
Curvatures
Primary curvatures are the ______ and ____ curvatures that develop during the _____…. same/opposite direction as the fetal vertebral column
thoracic and sacral; fetal period; same
Secondary curvatures are the _____ and _____ curvatures which develop _____…. same/opposite direction as the fetal vertebral column
cervical and lumbar; opposite
_______ is accentuated thoracic curvature …often a result of age related osteoporosis. Sometimes referred to as ‘hunchback’ or ‘dowager’s hump’
Kyphosis
______ accentuated lumbar curvature…often due to weight gain (i.e. during pregnancy). Sometimes referred to as ‘swayback’ or hollow back
Lordosis
_____ abnormal lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebral column- can result from limb length inequalities and/or malformation of vertebrae
Scoliosis
kyphosis
lordosis
scoliosis
scoliosis
Typical vertebrae consists of three major features:
- Vertebral body- for weight bearing
- Vertebral (neural) arch consisting of pedicles and laminae- protection of the spinal cord
- Numerous (7) processes for muscular attachment:
Spinous process (1)
Transverse processes (2)
Articular processes (4) (superior & inferior) which form joints
_____ are synovial joints between the superior and inferior articular processes of adjacent vertebrae
Facet Joints or (zygapophysial joints)
Intervertebral discs
- are cartilaginous joints designed for weight bearing and strength
- are interposed between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae
- These discs are tightly adhered to the surface of the vertebral bodies and provide a stable/strong attachment between adjacent vertebrae
Intervertebral discs consist of:
- Outer anulus fibrosus- composed of concentric layers of fibrocartilage that adheres to the vertebral bodies
- Nucleus pulposus- a gelatinous central mass (high water content) that acts like a miniature shock absorber
_____ allow passage and protection for the spinal nerve as it exits the vertebral column
Intervertebral foramen
_____ vertebrae have transverse foramina for the vertebral artery
Cervical
Majority of motion along the vertebral column occurs in the ____ and ____ …hence, this is where we tend to see herniated or “slipped” disc problems
cervical and lumbar regions
•As mentioned….the greatest range of motion is within the______…followed by the _______, both areas have significantly greater motion than the fairly ridged _____
cervical spine; lumbar spine; thoracic spine
the _____ is at greatest risk of injury purely from a mechanical prospective (least stable area)
cervical spine
•In addition…the change from mobility to rigidity within the spine creates two areas of significant stress concentration; These junctions are common sites of vertebral fractures
- Cervicothoracic junction (~C5-T1)
- Thoracolumbar junction (~T10-L2)