The key function of the cervical spine is to support the weight of the head which is approximately 10-12 pounds. The spinal cord is the key path for information between the brain and the peripheral nervous system. It transmits signals back and forth between the body and brain. The length of the spinal cord is about 45 cm in men and 43 cm in women. Within this spinal link, there are thirty one pairs of spinal. Each spinal nerve splits into two roots before connecting to the spinal cord.
The human body is a weight-bearing exterior and an addition for the disc. The vertebral arch systems the spinal canal through which the spinal cord runs. The developments arise from the vertebral arch to form the facet joints and processes for muscle and ligament attachments.
The spinal column is made up of bones called vertebrae which are to a certain degree flexible while some of the vertebrae in the lower parts of the spinal column are fused. The spinal cord is enclosed by the spinal column which consists of 33 vertebrae
Cervical – Upper seven vertebrae located in the neck (C1-C7)
Thoracic – Twelve vertebrae that extend through the chest area (T1 – T12)
Lumbar – Five vertebrae in the lower back (L1 – L5)
Sacral – Five vertebrae located in the pelvic area (S1 –S5)
Coccygeal – Four fused vertebrae (tailbone)
The cervical spine has the highest range of motion because of two particular vertebras that move with the skull while cervical vertebrae are the smallest. The first cervical vertebra is called the atlas and is dissimilar from the further vertebrae. It is ring-like in shape with two large lumps on the sides to sustain the weight of the head. The second cervical vertebra is called the axis. The axis is a bony peg-like bulge, call...
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Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology Third Edition by Eldra Pear Soloman (pgs. 51 and 58)
The spinal cord is basically a bundle of nerves which runs from the base of the brain to the middle of the waist. It is the core of the spinal column and carries nerve impulses to and from the brain to the rest of the body. When this soft, jelly-like cord is injured, severe effects are felt on the body. The spinal cord can be bruised, damaged, or severed, each resulting in different degrees of injury. In this illustration we see an example of a slipped disk. A slipped disk most often results in severe and sometimes disabling pain and can be treated by painkillers, bed rest, or surgery. While definitely not a minor ailment, the severity of a slipped disk is not very high since the spinal cord is left intact and therefor there is no nerve damage. However, more serious consequences occur when the spinal cord is damaged or severed. This can happen from traumas or diseases, and since we have a limited time, I will focus only on the traumatic causes. The largest contributor to traumatic spinal cord injuries is vehicular accidents, accounting for nearly 48%. Next is falls at almost 21%, followed by violence, sports, and ‘other’. As you can see from this graph, 66% of sports injuries occur in the form of diving accidents, while I am part of the 3.8% of snow skiing accidents.
As defined by the Laser Spine Institute, Spinal Stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal by a piece of bone or disc material. This can cause weakness in your extremities. This narrowing results in pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerves. Spinal stenosis can occur in a variety of ways in your spine. Most cases of spinal stenosis occurs in the lower back (lumbar spine) and will affect the sciatic nerve. Most often, spinal stenosis results from degenerative changes in the spine caused by aging. Tumor injuries and other diseases can also lead to the narrowing in the spinal canal.
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*The terminal caudal vertebrae fused to form a short pygostyle (Fig. 21.5) which supports the bird's tail feathers. *The uncinate processes of the thoracic vertebrae help to strengthen the rib cage by overlapping with the rib behind them. *The backward elongation of sternum provides support to abdominal
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There is two divisions of the bones, the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones which include the skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum. The skull considts of 22 bones. The cranium which cover the brain are made up of 8 bones and the facial is made up of 14 bones.