Cervical Spine: Anatomy Flashcards
(42 cards)
% of pt with neck pain that develop chronic symptoms
30%
Vertebral artery: where does it branch from?
from the posterior/superior portion of the subclavian artery
Where does the vertebral artery enter the transverse foramen?
C6
Where does the vertebral artery exit?
C1 transverse foramen
After exiting the C1 transverse foramen, the vertebral artery wraps around
posterior arch of C1
Vertebral artery: What does it become proximally?
basilar artery
Vertebral artery: travels through these to become the basilar artery
OA membrane
foramen magnum
Cervical facet joints are __˚ in this plane
45˚ in the frontal plane
Uncinate process run from
C2-3 to C7-T1
uncinate processes limit this motion
sidebending
uncinate processes help guide these movements
flexion/extension
uncinate processes help prevent disc herniations from protruding in these directions
posterior/lateral
uncinate processes often show signs of
degeneration
Alar ligament attaches where
dorsolateral surface of the dens to occipital condyles
alar ligament: resists these motions
flexion
CL sidebending/rotation
L alar ligament resists (R/L) lateral flexion and (R/L) rotation
R lateral flexion
R rotation
What is the key ligament for stabilizing C1-2?
alar ligament
This ligament holds the dens against C1
transverse ligament
Transverse ligament: prevents this motion at C1
anterior translation
alar ligament: attaches where?
lateral masses of atlas
If this ligament is injured, AA instability will exist
transverse ligament
What does the suboccipital triangle do?
fine tuning of positional changes
What are the deep cervical stabilizers?
- longus colli
- longus capitus
- rectus capitus anterior and lateralis
Major muscle groups of the neck
- suboccipital triangle
- deep cervical stabilizers
- scalenes
