CH. 11 The Trunk and Spinal Column

also look at slides!! not everything is in these flashcards

Spine

made up of 33 vertebrae (24 articulating & 9 fused)

cervical (neck)

7

thoracic (chest)

12

lumbar (lower back)

5

sacrum (posterior pelvic girdle)

5

coccyx (tail bone)

4

3 normal curves

thoracic spine: kyphosis

cervical and lumbar: lordosis

sacrum and coccyx: kyphosis

→ enables it to absorb blows and shocks

Scoliosis

lateral curving of the spine

kyphosis

increased curving of the spine outward/backward in the sagittal plane

lordosis

increasing curving of the spine inward/forward in the sagittal plane

cervical vertebrae

7 total

c1 articulates with the base of the skull

c2 articulating with c1 for cervical rotation

c7 spinous process

first 2 cervical vertebrae

atlas and axis

shapes allow for extensive rotary movements of head to side as well as forward and backward movement

atlantooccipital joint

1st joint

formed by occipital condyles of skull sitting on articular fossa of the 1st vertebra

allows flexion & extension

atlantoaxial joint

atlas (c1) sits on axis (c2)

where the most cervical rotation occurs

most mobile joint of any 2 vertebrae

thorax

formed by 12 pairs of ribs

7 pairs true (vertebrosternal)

5 pairs false → 3 pairs attaching indirectly w/ costal cartilage, 2 pairs floating

intervertebral discs

allows compression in all directions and torsion

annulus fibrosus

nucleus pulposus

annulus fibrosus

fibrocartilage outer rim

nucleus pulposus

gelatinous pulpy substance