DocGuy
ANATOMY
Medicine Made Simple
, VERTEBRAL COLUMN
33 vertebrae. 7 – Cervical, 12 – Thoracic, 5 – Lumbar, 5 – Sacral, 4 – Coccygeal
Flexibility of column 24 movable vertebrae
Vertebrae and many intervertebral joints close together
curvatures / sinuous bends in the column
• 1ry curvatures - concave forward
thoracic curve & sacral curve
• 2ry curvature - convex forward
cervical curvature (4-5 months) - infant starts supporting its head
lumbar curve (12- 18 months ) - Child assumes upright position
typical vertebra body pedicles
neural arch laminae
processes transverse processes - 2
spinous process sup. articular processes - 2 &
inf. articular processes – 2
• related ligaments
01. Anterior longitudinal ligament - attached to body and intervertebral disc. More strongly to body.
Extend from base of skull to anterior of sacrum
02. Posterior longitudinal ligament - attached to body and intervertebral disc. More strongly to disc.
Starts from axis. Lines part of anterior surface of vertebral canal
03. ligamentum flavum - connects laminae. Lines the posterior surface of vertebral canal
04. Interspinous ligament - unites spinous processes along adjacent borders. Well developed in
lumbar region
05. Supraspinous ligament - joins tips of spinous processes up to spine of C7
06. Intertansverse ligament - joins transverse processes along adjacent borders
07. ligamentum nuchae – extends from C7 spine to the external occipital protuberance.
1
ANATOMY
Medicine Made Simple
, VERTEBRAL COLUMN
33 vertebrae. 7 – Cervical, 12 – Thoracic, 5 – Lumbar, 5 – Sacral, 4 – Coccygeal
Flexibility of column 24 movable vertebrae
Vertebrae and many intervertebral joints close together
curvatures / sinuous bends in the column
• 1ry curvatures - concave forward
thoracic curve & sacral curve
• 2ry curvature - convex forward
cervical curvature (4-5 months) - infant starts supporting its head
lumbar curve (12- 18 months ) - Child assumes upright position
typical vertebra body pedicles
neural arch laminae
processes transverse processes - 2
spinous process sup. articular processes - 2 &
inf. articular processes – 2
• related ligaments
01. Anterior longitudinal ligament - attached to body and intervertebral disc. More strongly to body.
Extend from base of skull to anterior of sacrum
02. Posterior longitudinal ligament - attached to body and intervertebral disc. More strongly to disc.
Starts from axis. Lines part of anterior surface of vertebral canal
03. ligamentum flavum - connects laminae. Lines the posterior surface of vertebral canal
04. Interspinous ligament - unites spinous processes along adjacent borders. Well developed in
lumbar region
05. Supraspinous ligament - joins tips of spinous processes up to spine of C7
06. Intertansverse ligament - joins transverse processes along adjacent borders
07. ligamentum nuchae – extends from C7 spine to the external occipital protuberance.
1
