OT 2201 Spine Osteology

What does the axial skeleton consist of?

1. vertebral column

2. cranium

3. sternum

4. ribs

What is the vertebral column?

comprised of a series of individual bones (vertebrae) that are bound together by deformable discs (intervertebral discs)

True or false: the vertebral column is articulated in a series of curves

TRUE

What is the four major functions of the vertebral column?

1. provides rigid but flexible axis for movement

2. provides firm base for suspending structures (ribs)

3. creates link between upper and lower extremities

4. provides protection for the spinal cord

What are the five regions of the vertebral column?

cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx

Why are each region of the vertebral column unique in structure?

meets the unique functional demands

What region of the column connects the head to the rest of the body?

cervical vertebrae

How many vertebrae are cervical?

7 cervical vertebrae (C1-C7)

What is the distinctive feature of cervical vertebrae?

transverse foramen

What level of movement does the cervical region have?

great deal of movement (think moving neck around)

What region of the vertebral column support the thoracic cavity?

thoracic region

How many vertebrae are in the thoracic region?

12 thoracic vertebrae (T1-T12)

What is the distinctive feature of the thoracic vertebrae?

costal facets (where the ribs suspend from)

What level of movement does the thoracic region of the vertebral column have?

less flexible and more stable than the cervical region

What is the reason for the decrease level of movement in the thoracic region of the vertebral column?

because of the rib articulations

What region of the vertebral column allows for mobility between the thorax and the pelvis?

lumbar region

What is one of the main functions of the lumbar region?

provides support for the upper skeleton and extremities

What is the distinctive feature on the lumbar vertebra?

mamillary processes that extend off of the superior articular processes.

How many fused vertebrae comprise the sacrum?

between 3-5 fused vertebrae

How many fused vertebrae comprise the coccyx?

between 3-5 fused vertebrae

What strongly unites the vertebral column with the pelvic girdle?

the sacral

What is the main function of the sacral?

support body weight and transmit upper extremity forces to the lower extremities

What is the joint that connects the sacrum to the ilium?

sacroiliac joint

Which of the following is NOT part of the axial skeleton:

a) cranium

b) sternum

c) pelvis girdle

d) ribs

C- pelvic girdle

What is the distinctive feature of the thoracic region of the spine?

a) costal facets

b) mammillary processes

c) transverse foramen

A- costal facets

How many curves does the vertebral column have?

four curves

What are the two kinds of vertebral curves?

lordotic curves and kyphotic curves

What shape do kyphotic curves make?

)

What shape do lordotic curves make?

(

What purpose do vertebral curves have?

provide additional support and stability to the column

Where regions have kyphotic curves?

thoracic and sacral regions

What regions have lordotic curves?

cervical and lumbar regions (regions with greatest mobility)

What are the three landmarks of vertebrae?

1. vertebral body

2. vertebral arch

3. 7 processes

How does size of the vertebral bodies change from C1-L5?

size of vertebral body increases to accommodate progressive loads

What two specific vertebra have generally distinct bony landmarks from the other vertebra?

C1 and C2

What are the different parts of the vertebral body?

the trabeculae, ring apophyses, and the vertebral endplates

What joins the vertebral foramen to the vertebral body?

vertebral arch

What kind of bone is the vertebral body made of?

cortical bone

What part of the vertebrae protects neural tissue?

the vertebral arch

What are the three parts of the vertebral arch?

pedicle

lamina

spinous process

What is the ventral part of the vertebral arch that is both superior and inferior to the vertebral notch?

pedicle

What part of the vertebral arch extends dorsally from the pedicles and fuses at the midline?

lamina

What part of the vertebral arch projects dorsally from the junction between the two laminae?

spinous process

What part of the vertebral arch functions as levers for the back extensors?

spinous processes

What articular processes extend from the junction of the pedicles and laminae of the vertebral arch?

zygapophyses

What part of the vertebral arch is between the superior and inferior zygapophyses?

pars interarticularis

What part of the vertebral arch projects laterally from the junction of the pedicles and laminae?

transverse processes

What part of the vertebral arch serves as levers for muscles?

transverse processes

What houses the spinal cord?

vertebral foramen

What is created when the inferior vertebral notch of the above vertebra and the superior vertebral notch of the below vertebra connect?

intervertebral foramen

What does the intervertebral foramen allow?

allows the transmission of spinal nerves from the spinal cord

What are the two points of articulation between superior and inferior vertebra?

intervertebral joint and the zygapophyseal joints

What is the synovial joint that is located between the superior articular process and inferior articular process of two adjacent vertebra?

zygapophyses facet (joint)

Where does the zygapophyses facet (joints) extend from?

the junction of the pedicles and laminae

What are the zygapophyses facets enclosed with?

fibrous joint capsule

What is the region between the superior and inferior articular processes?

pars interarticularis

What can occur if the pars interarticularis are defective?

can result in a spondyloysis

What occurs when there is anterior displacement of the pars interarticularis?

sponylolisthesis

What does sponylolisthesis typically result in?

pain in the lower back, buttocks, and posterior leg

What kind of vertebral has some characteristic features of both adjacent spinal segments?

transitional vertebrae

What are the three kinds of transitional vertebrae?

cervicothoracic

thoracolumbar

lumbosacral

This vertebral structure protects the spinal cord:

a) ring apophyses

b) vertebral body

c) vertebral arch

d) vertebral foramen

C- vertebral arch

The lumbar spine has a ____________ curve.

lordotic

What is located in between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies of two adjoining vertebra?

intervertebral disc

What vertebrae are intervertebral discs present in between?

C2-S1

True or false: intervertebral discs are relatively vascular?

FALSE; they are avascular (low blood flow)

What kind of cartilage are intervertebral discs?

fibrocartilaginous

What are the major compression-bearing structures of the spine?

intervertebral discs

What are the two parts of intervertebral discs?

nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus

What part of the intervertebral disc is the inner most portion made up of fibrous strands within proteoglycan gel?

the nucleus pulposus

What part of the intervertebral disc attaches to the rim of the vertebral body and is made up of concentric fibrocartilage and collagen bands?

annulus fibrosus

What are the two ligaments of the intervertebral joints?

anterior longitudinal ligament and the posterior longitudinal ligament

Where is the anterior longitudinal ligament located?

anterior occiput to S1

What ligament limits hyperextension of the trunk?

anterior longitudinal ligament

What is the width of the anterior longitudinal ligament in the thoracic region?

thicker and more narrow

What is the width of the anterior longitudinal ligament in the lumbar region?

thinner and wider

Where is the posterior longitudinal ligament located?

body of C2 to S1 along the posterior aspects of the vertebral bodies

What ligament lies within the vertebral canal?

posterior longitudinal ligament

What ligament prevents posterior displacement of intervertebral discs?

posterior longitudinal ligament

True or false: the posterior longitudinal ligament connects to the intervertebral discs in cervical region?

false, it does not connect to the discs located in the cervical spine?

Where is the posterior longitudinal ligament most narrow along the vertebral column?

it is most narrow in the lumbar region, which makes posterolateral herniation of disc more possible

What ligament connects the laminae of adjacent vertebra from C1 until the sacrum?

ligamentum flavum

What is the ligamentum flavum composed of?

yellow elastic tissue (elastin)

What region is the ligamentum flavum thickest at?

lumbar region

What ligament helps the spine maintain curvature?

ligamentum flavum

What ligament connects the tips of the spinous processes

supraspinous ligament

Where is the supraspinous ligament located?

extends from C7 to the sacrum

What region is the supraspinous ligament relatively thick at?

lumbar region

What ligament extends between the spinous processes to attach along the length of the spinous process?

intraspinous ligament

Where is the interspinous ligament not found?

cervical spine

What ligament is located from the external occipital protuberance (back of skull) and the foramen magnum to the spinous process of the cervical vertebra?

nuchal ligament

The __________________ ligament is a continuation of the supraspinous ligament for the cervical region.

nuchal ligament

What ligament connects adjacent transverse processes?

intertransverse ligament

What ligament limits contralateral side bending?

intertransverse ligament

What region of the spine is the intertransverse ligament thickest?

thoracic region

What region of the spine is the intertransverse ligament thinnest?

cervical and lumbar (want lateral flexion in neck and lower body)

What is contained within the vertebral canal?

spinal cord

The spinal cord is a part of the ________.

CNS

Where are enlargements of gray matter located in the spinal cord and why?

cervical and lumbar regions because there is more information to be collected and sent

How does the spinal cord turn into peripheral nerves?

spinal cord gives off spinal nerves that combine in plexi to then form the peripheral nerves