Osseous Structures of Back

Question 1

What is the function of the vertebral column?

Answer 1

-absorbs shock (curves allow for this)
-protects the spinal cord

Question 2

What are the regions of the vertebral column?

Answer 2

-cervical (7 vertebrae)
-thoracic (12 vertebrae)
-lumbar (5 vertebrae)
-sacral (sacrum/coccyx bones)

Question 3

What is a primary (kyphotic) curve of the vertebral column?

Answer 3

Curve with concavity facing anterior and convexity (bump) facing posterior
*backward curve/curls inward

Question 4

What is a secondary (lordotic) curve of the vertebral column?

Answer 4

Curve with concavity facing posterior and convexity facing anterior
*forward curve/flexes outward

Question 5

What regions of the vertebral column are primary (kyphotic)?

Answer 5

Thoracic and sacral

Question 6

What regions of the vertebral column are secondary (lordotic)?

Answer 6

cervical and lumbar

Question 7

What ONLY curve is present at birth?

Answer 7

Primary (kyphotic)
Think: babies have a curled in appearance, cannot hold their heads up

Question 8

What curves develop with weight bearing?

Answer 8

Secondary (lordotic) curves

Question 9

What secondary (lordotic) curve helps with holding up the head/sitting upright?

Answer 9

Cervical

Question 10

Which secondary (lordotic) curve helps with standing and walking?

Answer 10

Lumbar

Question 11

What do we look for clinically when observing the vertebral column?

Answer 11

Normal curvature

Question 12

What is lordosis (condition)?

Answer 12

Excessive secondary curvature in lumbar region (butt and upper back stick out)
*postural changes and orthopedic abnormalities cause this

Question 13

What is kyphosis (condition)?

Answer 13

Excessive primary curve of thoracic spine
(leaning forward)
*compression fracture, postural habits, pathology

Question 14

What is scoliosis (condition)?

Answer 14

Lateral deviation with a rotary component
bending curves and twisting of vertebrae

If convexity goes to the right it would be R thoracic scoliosis (and vice versa for left)

*school screenings are available for children so the curve will not progress during growth, treatment based on severity and progression of curve

Question 15

What movements does the vertebral column aid in?

Answer 15

-flexion (trunk bending foward)
-extension (trunk bending backward)
-lateral flexion (bending toward side)
-rotation (twisting from R to L)

Question 16

What are the typical vertebrae?

Answer 16

All vertebrae other than C1 and C2

Question 17

What part of a typical vertebrae gradually increases in size to support increasing body weight?

Answer 17

Body (T4 and below gradually increases)

Question 18

What features make up the vertebral (neural) arch of a typical vertebrae?

Answer 18

-ring/arch at the back of the vertebrae
pedicle: part of the ring that emerges out of the back of the vertebral body
lamina: flatter part of the ring toward the

Question 19

What are spinous processes of typical vertebrae? What purpose do they serve?

Answer 19

-bump that projects out of the back of the vertebral arch (junction of R/L lamina merge to form processes)
*attachment/lever for spinal muscles

Question 20

What are transverse processes of typical vertebrae? What purpose do they serve?

Answer 20

bumps that stick out of the sides of the vertebrae
*attachment/lever for spinal muscles

Question 21

What is an articular process of a typical vertebrae? What purpose do they serve?

Answer 21

*SUPERIOR AND INFERIOR
bony process sticking up at the junction of the lamina/pedicle
-have a smooth surface to articulate with the vertebrae above/below and form facet joints

Question 22

What are the vertebral notches of typical vertebrae?

Answer 22

Superior notch: notch of the top of a vertebrae that forms the bottom border of the intervertebral foramen hole
Inferior notch: notch on the bottom of a vertebrae that forms the top border of the intervertebral foramen hole

Question 23

What is an intervertebral foramen of typical vertebrae?

Answer 23

opening in between vertebrae formed by superior and inferior vertebral notches (formed by two vertebrae coming together

Question 24

What is a vertebral foramen of typical vertebrae?

Answer 24

Opening formed by the vertebral body and the vertebral arch of a vertebrae

Question 25

What makes up the vertebral canal of typical vertebrae?

Answer 25

the vertebral foramen (openings) of 2 or more vertebrae form a canal when stacked together

Question 26

What are the atypical vertebrae?

Answer 26

C1 and C2

Question 27

What features make up vertebra C1 (atlas)?

Answer 27

-anterior arch (smaller arch in front) with little bump called anterior tubercle -posterior arch (bigger arch in back) with little bump called posterior tubercle -lateral mass: bulk of bone on the sides of the vertebrae with: -superior facets that articulate with the occiput to allow flexion and extension -inferior facets that articulate with C2 for rotation movement -transverse processes: processes that stick out on the side (with transverse foramen)

Question 28

What features make up vertebra C2 (axis)?

Answer 28

-dens: large mass that sticks up and allows for pivoting of C1 (rotation of neck/head) synovial joint here ! -vertebral body -transverse process: stick out on each side

Question 29

What is the only vertebra that has a dens?

Answer 29

C2 (axis)

Question 30

What makes up the cervical vertebrae ?

Answer 30

C3-C7

Question 31

What are the features of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 31

-body: small/rectangular and wider from side to side -vertebral foramen: triangular shape and LARGE -transverse foramen: unique to cervical spine! vertebral arteries ascend here -spinous process: bifid (do not join completely at the end) on C3-5, C7 is the most prominent/largest process of cervical spine -uncinate process: on top of vertebral bodies, have raised lips/edges

Question 32

What makes up the thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 32

T1-T12

Question 33

What shape do the bodies of thoracic vertebrae resemble?

Answer 33

Heart Also have costal facets!

Question 34

What are the features of thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 34

-Body (heart) -vertebral foramen: smaller, circular -transverse process: HAVE COSTAL FACETS, articulate with RIBS -spinous process: longest in vertebral column, and extend inferiorly to the segment below

Question 35

How are the spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae unique?

Answer 35

They have costal facets that articulate with the ribs called transverse costal facets

Question 36

What makes up the lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 36

L1-L5

Question 37

What shape do the bodies of lumbar vertebrae resemble?

Answer 37

Kidney

Question 38

What features make up the lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 38

-body: kidney shaped -vertebral foramen: larger than thoracic but smaller than cervical -spinous processes: sturdy, "hatchet" shaped

Question 39

What is the sacrum?

Answer 39

Bone at the bottom of the vertebral column (S1-S5)

Question 40

What are the features of the sacrum?

Answer 40

-apex: inferior end of the sacrum -base: top of the sacrum (superior portion of S1) -median sacral crest: a midline crest formed by fused spinous processes (all fuse together to form one bone/ridge)

Question 41

What is the promontory of the sacrum?

Answer 41

A prominent ridge at the very top/base of the sacrum

Question 42

What is the ala portion of the sacrum?

Answer 42

The superior/lateral portion of the sacrum

Question 43

What is the sacral hiatus?

Answer 43

Inferior opening of the sacral calnal at the apex of the sacrum (sometimes used for needle insertion during inferior epidural approach)

Question 44

What are sacral cornu (horns)?

Answer 44

Two raised bumps/horns formed by the pedicules of S5 at the bottom of the sacrum *easy to palpate and find the sacral hiatus in between them

Question 45

What is the sacral canal? What does it contain?

Answer 45

A continuation of the spinal/vertebral canal -sacral nerve roots descend through the canal and exit out of through the openings of the sacrum (cauda equina)

Question 46

What is the coccyx? What purpose does it serve?