Chapter Three: The Spine

Question 1

Vertebral column

Answer 1

-7 cervical vertebrae (in the neck)
-12 thoracic vertebrae (in the thorax)
-5 lumbar vertebrae (in the lower back)
-5 fused sacral vertebrae (in the sacrum)
-1 or 2 coccygeal vertebrae (in the coccyx or tail bone)

Question 2

Vertebral structure main parts

Answer 2

-body (and a disc)
-vertebral arch

Question 3

Vertebral body and disc

Answer 3

-bodies articulate vertically with each other via intervertebral discs

Question 4

Annulus fibrosus (part of disc)

Answer 4

outer fibrocartilage cortex

Question 5

Nucleus pulposus (part of disc)

Answer 5

-pulpy inner core (medulla)

Question 6

Vertebral disc labelling

Answer 6

Question 7

Vertebral arch elements

Answer 7

-pedicles
-lamina
-vertebral foramen
-vertebral canal
-infravertebral notch

Question 8

Pedicles

Answer 8

Bony processes that attach to the body on each side

Question 9

Lamina

Answer 9

Connect to the pedicles anteriorly and to each other posteriorly

Question 10

Vertebral foramen

Answer 10

Made up of the arch and posterior aspect of the vertebral body (hole)

Question 11

Vertebral canal

Answer 11

Vertical cylinder made up of all the vertebral foramina, where spinal cord runs through

Question 12

Infravertebral notch

Answer 12

Formed by the body and the vertebral arch, where pedicle meets pedicle.

Question 13

Processes of the vertebral column

Answer 13

-articular processes
-transverse processes
-spinous processes

Question 14

Articular processes

Answer 14

-inferior articular process and superior articular process
-they form the joint (apophyseal)

Question 15

Transverse processes

Answer 15

-serve as attachments for muscles and in the thorax also as attachments for ribs
-stick out to the sides

Question 16

Spinous processes

Answer 16

-single process that projects backwards

Question 17

Intervertebral foramen

Answer 17

-where the spinal nerves enter and exit the column
-very critical if damaged

Question 18

Vertebrae labelling

Answer 18

Question 19

The atlas

Answer 19

-C1
-designed to hold up the skull
-has a larger vertebral foramen, but little to no body

Question 20

The axis

Answer 20

-C2
-prominent feature is the dens (looks like a finger pointing upwards)
-this fits into the extra space of C1
-permits rotation of the head

Question 21

Transverse ligament

Answer 21

-holds dens to atlas
-snaps when a person is hung

Question 22

Atlanto-occipital joint

Answer 22

-where C1 attached to the occipital condyles

Question 23

Typical cervical vertebrae

Answer 23

-oval and thin
-spinous processes are bifid (split in 2 posteriorly)
-discs are thick because neck is flexible
-contain transverse foramen

Question 24

Transverse foramen (in cervical vertebrae)

Answer 24

-for the passage of the vertebral artery and vein

Question 25

Thoracic vertebrae

Answer 25

-thicker heart shaped body -apophyseal joints are oriented coronally (more forward) -articular facets to accommodate the joints with heads of ribs

Question 26

Transverse costovertebral joints

Answer 26

-where ribs articulate with facets of thoracic vertebrae

Question 27

Lumbar vertebrae

Answer 27

-very thick and kidney shaped -thick discs because relatively flexible (most likely to be damaged) -facet joints face medial laterally

Question 28

Sacrum

Answer 28

-5 fused vertebrae -sacral foramina (usually 4 on each side) -medial sacral crest (looks like an ear), is where hip girdle articulates

Question 29

Sacroiliac joint

Answer 29

-holds lower limbs (pelvic girdle) to vertebral column

Question 30

Sacrum labelling

Answer 30

Question 31

Curvatures of the vertebral column

Answer 31

-cervical (secondary) -thoracic (primary) -lumbar (secondary) -sacral (primary)

Question 32

Primary vs secondary curvatures

Answer 32

-primary: present in the fetus -secondary: develop after birth

Question 33

Kyphosis

Answer 33

-exaggeration of the thoracic curvature -hunch back

Question 34

Lordosis

Answer 34

-excessive curvature in the lumbar region -swayback -ruptured disc is common because there is too much pressure on these discs

Question 35

Scoliosis

Answer 35

-coronal malcurvature of the spine to one or both sides

Question 36

Curvatures of the spine labelling

Answer 36

Question 37

Anterior longitudinal ligament

Answer 37

-runs down the anterior aspect of the vertebral bodies

Question 38

Posterior longitudinal ligament

Answer 38

-runs down the posterior (dorsal) aspects of the vertebral canal

Question 39

Ligamentum flavum

Answer 39

-join the laminae of the vertebrae -elastic tissue

Question 40

Interspinous ligaments

Answer 40

-connect adjacent spinous processes

Question 41

Supraspinous ligaments

Answer 41

-connect the tip of one spinous process with another, cord like structure running the length of vertebral column -

Question 42

Ligamentum nuchae

Answer 42

-where supra and inter spinous ligaments are reinforced -elastic tissue -keeps your head up without using much effort -where they aim for in bull fights

Question 43

Intertraverse ligaments

Answer 43

-connect the transverse processes with eachother

Question 44

Ligaments of the vertebral column labelling

Answer 44

Question 45

Muscles of the neck

Answer 45

-splenius capitis -semispinalis capitis

Question 46

Splenius capitis

Answer 46

-origin point: lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebral arches -insertion point: mastoid process

Question 47

Semispinalis capitis

Answer 47

-origin point: lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebral arches -insertion point: occipital bone

Question 48

Neck muscles labelling

Answer 48

Question 49

Muscles of the back

Answer 49

-superficial group: erector spinae group (spinalis, longissimus, iliocostalis) -deep group: transversospinalis

Question 50

Spinalis

Answer 50

-long muscle that sits against the spine -most medial muscle to the spine

Question 51

Longissimus

Answer 51

-longer muscle that starts further down

Question 52

Iliocostalis

Answer 52

-starts at the ilium (pelvis) and attaches to the ribs (costa) -most lateral muscle to the spine

Question 53

Back muscles labelling

Answer 53

Question 54

Transversospinalis

Answer 54

-origin: transverse processes -insertion: spine -consist of small slips running up from the spine from transverse processes 3 or 4 levels below

Question 55

Actions of the muscles of the back

Answer 55

-extend along the entire vertebral column and aid in posture

Question 56

Dorsal rami of the spinal nerves

Answer 56

-travels into the back (both motor and sensory nerves) -exit from the intervertebral foramina

Question 57

Ventral rami

Answer 57

-travels to front of body -exit through intervertebral foramina