Clinical anatomy of the spine

Question 1

How many vertebrae are there?

Answer 1

33

Question 2

What are the 5 sections of the spine?

Answer 2

Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccygeal

Question 3

What are the 4 curvatures of a healthy spine?

Answer 3

Cervical Lordosis
Thoracic Kyphosis
Lumbar Lordosis
Sacral

Question 4

What are the two atypical vertebrae?

Answer 4

Atlas (C1)

Axis (C2)

Question 5

What is the vertebrae prominens?

Answer 5

C7

No foramena transverse process

Question 6

What are the two parts of the intervertebral discs?

Answer 6

Annulus fibrosus

Nucleus Pulposus

Question 7

What do facet joints allow?

Answer 7

Flexion
Extension
Lateral flexion

Question 8

What part of the spine has less flexion and extension due to ribs?

Answer 8

thoracic

Question 9

Which rotation is less than thoracic due to the orientation of facet joints?

Answer 9

Lumbar

Question 10

Which spine allows for greatest movement?

Answer 10

Cervical

Question 11

What happens to intervertebral water content with aging?

Answer 11

It decreases

Question 12

How is OA in one ore two joints treated?

Answer 12

Localised Fusion

Question 13

Where does intervertebral disc degeneration occur?

Answer 13

Most frequent in L4/5 and L5/S1

Question 14

What can happen to intervertebral discs?

Answer 14

Prolapse

Annulus tear

Question 15

Look at the nerve diagram on 17

Answer 15

xoxo gossip girl

Question 16

What is the route of the spinal cord?

Answer 16

Down the spinal canal formed by the verebral foramina

Exits via intervertebral foramen

Question 17

Where does the spinal cord end?

Answer 17

L1

Question 18

What does L1 mark the junction between?

Answer 18

Upper and Lower motor neurones

Question 19

What occurs with upper motor neurone failure?

Answer 19

Weakness
Spasticity
Increased tone
Hyperreflexia

Question 20

What occurs with lower motor neurone failure?

Answer 20

Weakness
flaccidity
Loss of relexes

Question 21

Slide 22 which i CBA reading

Answer 21

The exiting nerve root which is outside the thecal sac passes under the pedicle of the corresponding vertebra (ie L4 root passes under L4 pedicle)
The traversing nerve root pair whilst remaining in the thecal sac is positioned anteriorly (in an area known as the lateral recess) in preparation to penetrate the thecal sac and become the next exiting nerve root more distally

Question 22

Which nerve root is compressed in disc prolapse?

Answer 22

Transversing nerve root

Question 23

What does nerve root compression cause?

Answer 23

Radiculopathy resulting in pain down the sensory distribution of the nerve root

Question 24

What is nerve root compression that causes pain known as?

Answer 24

Sciatica

Question 25

What is the source of the sciatic nerve?

Answer 25

L4, L5, S1, S2, S3

Question 26

What can cause nerve root compression?

Answer 26

Osteophytes | Hypertrophied ligaments in OA

Question 27

What is neurogenic claudication?

Answer 27

Burning leg pain whilst walking

Question 28

What can improve spinal stenosis?

Answer 28

surgical decompression

Question 29

What can spinal cord compression lead to?

Answer 29

Myelopathy | Upper motor neuron signs

Question 30

What is cauda equina syndrome caused by?

Answer 30

Pressure (usually prolapsed disc) on all lumbosacral nerve roots at the level of the lesion including the sacral nerve roots for bladder and bowl control

Question 31

What are the symptoms of cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 31

Bilateral lower motor neurone signs bladder and bowel dysfunction Saddle anaesthesia Loss of anal tone

Question 32

What are the three muscles of the erector spine?

Answer 32

Iliocostalis Longissimus thoracis Spinalis thoracis

Question 33

What are causes of back pain?

Answer 33

``` Bones Fracture – trauma, osteoporosis, (spondylolisthesis) Tumour Infection Joints Spondylosis & OA Spinal stenosis Muscles & Ligaments Sprains & strains Disc Discogenic back pain Sciatica Cauda equina syndrome ```

Question 34

What are most causes of back pain classified as?

Answer 34

Mechanical back pain

Question 35

Where would mechanical back pain radiate to?

Answer 35

buttocks Thigh NOT below knee