Vertebral Column

What are the regions of the vertebral column?

Cervical (neck)

Thoracic (ribcage)

Lumbar (lower back)

Sacrum

Coccyx

What part of a vertebra bears most of the weight?

vertebral body

The vertebral body of a vertebra is made up of bone derived from what?

centrum

What epiphyseal rim of a vertebra is make of smooth bone derived from what?

anular epiphysis

Where does the spinal cord reside? In the vertebral foramen or the vertebral canal?

vertebral canal

Intervertebral foramina

formed partially by adjacent vertebral notches and transmit (serves as passageway) spinal nerves

What part of vertebra protects the spinal cord?

vertebral arch

What is the vertebral arch made up of?

pedicles and laminae

What part of vertebra provide a mechanical advantage for muscle attachments and movement?

transverse and spinous processes

What part of vertebra have facets for synovial joints that guide and limit motion (restriction of motion)?

articular processes

What part of vertebra supports the body weight?

vertebral body

What forms the skeleton of the neck and back?

the vertebral column

What comprises the axial skeleton?

Vertebral column

Cranium

Rib Cage

Sternum

The following are functions of what?

* Supports and positions the head and trunk in the erect position.
* Provides an axis for the body and transmits the weight through the pelvic girdle to the lower limbs.
* Suspends the rib cage.
* Protects the spinal cord and nerves.

The vertebral column

How many vertebra make up the vertebral column?

33 vertebrae

How many regions are there of the vertebral column?

5 regions

What are the 5 regions of the vertebral column?

Cervical

Thoracic

Lumbar

Sacrum

Coccyx

How many vertebrae make up the cervical region?

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A. 4 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

C. 7 vertebrae

D. 12 vertebrae

C. 7 vertebrae

How many vertebrae make up the lumbar region?

\
A. 4 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

C. 7 vertebrae

D. 12 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

How many vertebrae make up the thoracic region?

\
A. 4 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

C. 7 vertebrae

D. 12 vertebrae

D. 12 vertebrae

How many vertebrae make up the sacral region?

\
A. 4 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

C. 7 vertebrae

D. 12 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

How many vertebrae make up the coccyx region?

\
A. 4 vertebrae

B. 5 vertebrae

C. 7 vertebrae

D. 12 vertebrae

A. 4 vertebrae

What is unique about the spinal curvature of newborns?

one continuous C-shaped curve (the primary curvature)

What are the two curvatures of the vertebral column?

Primary curve

Secondary curve

What curvature of the spine develops prior to birth and are concave anteriorly?

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A. Primary Curve

B. Secondary Curve

A. Primary Curve

What curvature of the spine develops during the post-natal period and are concave posteriorly?

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A. Primary Curve

B. Secondary Curve

B. Secondary Curve

What are the two types of secondary curves?

Cervical curve

Lumbar curve

What secondary curve becomes evident when the infant raises its head?

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A. Cervical curve

B. Lumbar curve

A. Cervical curve

What secondary curve becomes evident in crawling, sitting, and standing?

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A. Cervical curve

B. Lumbar curve

B. Lumbar curve

Where does the spinal cord reside?

\
A. Vertebral canal

B. Vertebral foramen

A. Vertebral canal

How is the intervertebral foramina formed?

partially by adjacent vertebral notches

What transmits spinal nerves?

\
A. Vertebral canal

B. Vertebral foramen

B. Vertebral foramen

What part of the vertebra functions for weight-bearing?

\
A. Articular processes

B. Transverse and Spinous Processes

C. Vertebral arch

D. Vertebral body

D. Vertebral body

What part of the vertebra protects the spinal cord?

\
A. Articular processes

B. Transverse and Spinous Processes

C. Vertebral arch

D. Vertebral body

C. Vertebral arch

What part of the vertebra provides a mechanical advantage for muscle attachments?

\
A. Articular processes

B. Transverse and Spinous Processes

C. Vertebral arch

D. Vertebral body

B. Transverse and Spinous Processes

What part of the vertebra has facets for synovial joints that guide and limit motion?

\
A. Articular processes

B. Transverse and Spinous Processes

C. Vertebral arch

D. Vertebral body

A. Articular processes

What vertebrae have transverse processes with foramina and a large vertebral foramen?

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A. Cervical

B. Lumbar

C. Thoracic

A. Cervical

What vertebrae have costal facets with long spinous processes?

\
A. Cervical

B. Lumbar

C. Thoracic

C. Thoracic

What vertebrae have a large body with short blunt spinous processes?

\
A. Cervical

B. Lumbar

C. Thoracic

B. Lumbar

The following are characteristics of what vertebrae?

* Transverse process
* Triangular vertebral foramen
* Bifid spinous process
* Oblique, relatively horizontal articular facets directed primarily superiorly and inferiorly
* Perforated transverse processes with anterior and posterior tubercles
* Foramen transversarium
* Rectangular bodies with concave superior and convex inferior surfaces
* Uncus of body (uncinate process)

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A. Cervical vertebrae

B. Lumbar vertebrae

C. Thoracic vertebrae

A. Cervical vertebrae

The following are characteristics of what vertebrae?

* Long, strong transverse processes extend posterolaterally
* Circular vertebral foramen, relatively small compared to size of body
* Nearly vertical articular facets directed primarily posteriorly and anteriorly
* Spinous process long and sloping; overlaps inferior vertebra
* Costal facets (2 on each side of body and 1 on each transverse process)
* Columnar bodies, heart-shaped in superior view

\
A. Cervical vertebrae

B. Lumbar vertebrae

C. Thoracic vertebrae

C. Thoracic vertebrae

The following are characteristics of what vertebrae?

* Massive columnar body, kidney-shaped in superior view
* Vertebral foramen triangular, intermediate in size
* Nearly vertical articular facets directed primarily medially and laterally
* Transverse processes long and slender, directed laterally
* Short, broad and blunt spinous process

\

A. Cervical vertebrae

B. Lumbar vertebrae

C. Thoracic vertebrae

B. Lumbar vertebrae

What vertebra is the most prominent and referred to as vertebra prominens when the spine is flexed?

C7

What is another word for the C1 vertebra?

Atlas

What vertebra has the following characteristics?

* No body
* Lateral masses that have superior articular surfaces for articulation with the occipital condyles of the skull
* Has a posterior tubercle but no spinous process
* Has anterior tubercle
* Has an articular facet for the dens of C2 vertebra
* Has transverse processes with foramina

C1 vertebra

What is another name for the C2 vertebra?

axis

The following are characteristics of what vertebra?

* Has a large centrally located process (dens, odontoid process) projecting cranially from its body
* Has two large superior articular facets
* Has a large bifid spinous process

C2 vertebra

Atlantoaxial Joint

a type of synovial joint that is classified as a biaxial, pivot joint and resides in the upper part of the neck between the first and second cervical vertebrae (aka the atlas and axis)

What does the vertebral artery pass through?

the transverse foramina of the upper 6 cervical vertebrae

What does the vertebral artery pass over?

the posterior arch of the atlas (C1 vertebra)

What facets articular with the 5th lumbar vertebra?

the superior articular facets

What can be seen in the posterior view of the sacrum?

sacral hiatus

What can be used to deliver epidural anesthesia?

sacral hiatus

In what region of the spinal cord is the intervertebral foramina located?

\
A. Cervical

B. Coccyx

C. Lumbar

D. Sacrum

E. Thoracic

D. Sacrum

In a synovial joint, the bones are united by what?

a joint capsule

What comprises the joint capsule?

Outer fibrous layer

Inner synovial membrane

What part of the joint capsule is a vascular connective tissue that produces synovial fluid, which lubricates and provides nutrients to articular cartilage?

\
A. Fibrous capsule

B. Synovial membrane

B. Synovial membrane

What part of the joint capsule has numerous nerve endings for pain and proprioception (position sense)?

\
A. Fibrous capsule

B. Synovial membrane

A. Fibrous capsule

Where are the zygapophysial joints located?

between the superior and inferior articular processes

What makes up the symphysis joint?

the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies

What joint permits movement and absorbs shock?

symphysis joint

What forms the symphysis between adjacent vertebral bodies?

Hyaline cartilage

Intervertebral disc

What makes up the intervertebral disc?

An outer anulus fibrosus

An inner nucleus pulposus

What is the red arrow pointing to?

the nucleus pulpous of the intervertebral disc

What ligament is attached anteriorly to the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral discs?

Anterior longitudinal ligament

What ligament is attached posteriorly to the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral discs but is narrower?

Posterior longitudinal ligament

What is the black arrow pointing at?

\
A. Anterior longitudinal ligament

B. Facet Joint and Capsule

C. Posterior longitudinal ligament

A. Anterior longitudinal ligament

What is the green arrow pointing at?

\
A. Anterior longitudinal ligament

B. Facet Joint and Capsule

C. Posterior longitudinal ligament

C. Posterior longitudinal ligament

What is the red arrow pointing at?

\
A. Anterior longitudinal ligament

B. Facet Joint and Capsule

C. Posterior longitudinal ligament

B. Facet Joint and Capsule

Whiplash injury is common with rear end auto collisions. It causes traumatic hyperextension of the neck and may cause strain/tear to what longitudinal ligament?

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A. Anterior longitudinal ligament

B. Posterior longitudinal ligament

A. Anterior longitudinal ligament

What ligament is located within the vertebral canal, posterior to the vertebral bodies and provides less support to the intervertebral disc due to being narrow?

Posterior longitudinal ligament

Intervertebral disc herniation frequently occurs in what direction?

posterolateral direction

Where is the ligamentum flava, interspinous ligament, and the supraspinous ligament located?

in the vertebral column

What ligament of the vertebral column connects adjacent laminae?

\
A. Interspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

C. Supraspinous ligament

A. Interspinous ligament

What ligament of the vertebral column connects spinous processes?

\
A. Interspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

C. Supraspinous ligament

A. Interspinous ligament

What ligament of the vertebral column connects the tips of the spinous processes?

\
A. Interspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

C. Supraspinous ligament

C. Supraspinous ligament

What ligament is the black arrow pointing to?

\
A. Interspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

C. Supraspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

What ligament is the red arrow pointing to?

\
A. Interspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

C. Supraspinous ligament

A. Interspinous ligament

What ligament is the green arrow pointing to?

\
A. Interspinous ligament

B. Ligamentum flava

C. Supraspinous ligament

C. Supraspinous ligament

In what part of the spine is the nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae) found?

the cervical spine

What type of tissue does the Nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae) contain?

fibroelastic tissue

What ligament attaches from the external occipital protuberance to a cervical spinous processes?

Nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae)

The following are functions of what ligament of the cervical spine?

* Resists flexion
* Aids returning head to anatomical position from flexion

Nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae)

Does the Nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae) provide attachment sites for muscles?

Yes

What ligaments become taught in flexion of the vertebral column?

–Posterior longitudinal

–Ligamentum flavum

–Interspinous

–Supraspinous

Extension of the vertebral column is limited by what ligament?

the anterior longitudinal ligament

In what region of the spine is the amount of motion the greatest?

A. Cervical

B. Coccyx

C. Lumbar

D. Sacrum

E. Thoracic

A. Cervical

In what region of the spine is flexion of the vertebral column the greatest?

A. Cervical

B. Coccyx

C. Lumbar

D. Sacrum

E. Thoracic

A. Cervical

In what region of the spine is rotation the greatest movement available?

A. Cervical

B. Coccyx

C. Lumbar

D. Sacrum

E. Thoracic

E. Thoracic

What limits the motion of the thoracic vertebral column--especially flexion/extension?

the rib cage

In what region of the spine is extension marked?

A. Cervical

B. Coccyx

C. Lumbar

D. Sacrum

E. Thoracic

C. Lumbar

The atlantoccipital joint (OA) allows for what type of movement?

Nodding the head (flexion and extension)

Lateral flex

What is the only motion available in the atlantoaxial (AA) joint?

rotation

Rotation in the atlantoaxial (AA) joint is limited by what ligaments?

the alar ligaments

Roughly 1/2 of the total rotation in the cervical region occurs at what joint?

Atlantoaxial (AA) joint

Because 1/2 of the total rotation in the cervical region occurs at the atlantoaxial (AA) joint, where does the rest of the cervical rotation occur?

between the C2-C7 vertebrae

What ligament of the atlas keeps the dens of the C2 vertebra from moving posterior and impinging upon the spinal cord?

the transverse ligament

Dislocation secondary to a rupture of the transverse ligament is likely to cause what?

spinal cord compression

What is excessive thoracic kyphosis?

an increase in thoracic curvature

What are contributing factors to excessive thoracic kyphosis?

Postural change with aging and poor postural habit

Compression fracture of a thoracic vertebral body due to osteoporosis