The Back Flashcards
(28 cards)
What are primary curvatures
- Present in utero
- In thoracic and sacral regions
- Concave anteriorly (kyphosis)
What are secondary curvatures
- Do not develop until infant lifts their head and stands to walk
- In cervical and lumbar regions
- Are concave posteriorly (lordosis)
What are the zygapophyseal joints
Synovial joints between articular processes
What is the symphysis joint
Secondary cartilaginous joint between endplates and the intervertebral discs
What is the intervertebral foramen
Where the spinal nerve emerges
How is the intervertebral foramen formed
By superior and inferior vertebral notches, with contribution from the disc
What makes up the intervertebral disc
An outer anulus fibrosus, which surrounds a central nucleus pulposus
What is the nucleus pulposus
Gelatinous, 70-90% water, relative collagen content increases with age. It absorbs compressive forces between vertebrae
What is the annulus fibrosus
Very strong, concentric lamellae of fibrocartilage. It’s attached and kept in place by anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
What supplies the periphery of the disc
Neighbouring capillaries
What supplies the centre of the disc
Diffusion from the body of the vertebra
Describe a herniated disc
The central position of the longitudinal ligament means that most disc herniations are posterolateral, towards the intervertebral foramen. The disc forms the anterior aspect of the foramen, but inferiorly, the spinal nerve probably emerges above the prolapsing disc and escapes injury
What does the transverse ligament of atlas do
Keeps the dens close to the anterior arch
What does the alar ligament do
Prevents excessive rotation
What does the ligamentum flavum do
It extends between the vertebral
laminae and limit sudden
flexion
What does the posterior longitudinal ligament do
On the posterior
surfaces of the bodies of
vertebrae between C2 to
sacrum, limiting hyper-flexion
What does the anterior longitudinal ligament do
On the anterior
surfaces of the vertebral
bodies between Atlas to the
sacrum that limits extension
What does the ligamentum nuchae do
Extends between occipital bone and spinous process of C7 to limit flexion and provide
muscle attachment
What does the supraspinous ligament do
Tips of spines and run between sacrum to C7
What does the interspinous ligament do
They may be damaged in whiplash injury
Describe the vascular supply of the spine
Arteries form anastomotic rings that arise from the
vertebral arteries and posterior intercostal and
lumbar branches of aorta. Venous plexuses (internal and external) coalesce
and drain to the veins equivalent to the above
arteries
What are extrinsic muscles
– Derivatives of hypoaxial myotome– superficial
– involved with movements of the upper limbs and thoracic wall
– innervated by anterior rami of spinal nerves
What are intrinsic muscles
– Derivatives of epaxial myotome
– Located deep, between the spinous
processes and the angle of the ribs
– adapted to provide support and movement
in resistance to the effect of gravity
– move the vertebral column
– participate in moving the head
– innervated by the posterior rami of spinal
nerves
What is the trapezius
– From skull, spinous processes to scapula and clavicle (laterally)
– Upper fibres elevate and rotate shoulders during abduction of arm– Supplied by spinal accessory nerve
