Plane that divides the body into

RIGHT & LEFT 

Plane that divides the body into

FRONT & BACK

TRANSVERSE PLANE

(HORIZONTAL * AXIAL)

Plane that divides the body into

CEPHALAD & CAUDAL

SPINAL COLUMN

is also known as...

* VERTEBRAL COLUMN

* CENTRAL AXIS

*BACK BONE

3 PARTS OF 

SPINAL COLUMN

SPINAL COLUMN

OF A CHILD

 33 individual SEGMENTS

• 24 segments in the SPINE
• 5 segments in the SACRUM
• 4 segments in the COCCYGEAL REGION

SPINAL COLUMN

OF AN ADULT

 26 individual SEGMENTS

• 24 in the SPINE
• 1 SACRUM 
• (first 3 fuse between 9-11) (lower 2 fuse with other three 18-20)
• 1 COCCYX
• (one segment ossifies every 5 years --> becomes one bone between 20-25... may not be totally fused until age of 30) 

PARTS OF

SPINAL COLUMN

• CERVICAL SPINE
• THORACIC SPINE
• LUMBAR SPINE
• SACRUM
• COCCYX

AVERAGE LENGTH

OF THE ADULT

SPINAL COLUMN

MALE:

28 inches (71 cm)

FEMALE:

25 inches (61 cm)

TRUE

SEGMENTS

vs.

FALSE 

SEGMENTS

TRUE SEGMENTS 

• Considered FREELY MOVABLE
• Consists of 24 SEGMENTS OF SPINE

FALSE SEGMENTS

• Segments NOT FREELY MOVABLE
• Consists of SACRUM & COCCYX 

SPINE

IS DIVIDED INTO

THREE DISTINCT/SEPARATE

REGIONS

• CERVICAL: 7 individual segments
• THORACIC: 12 individual segments (11 or 13)
• LUMBAR: 5 individual segments (4 or 6)
• MOST VARIABLE REGION AS TO # SEGMENTS
• It is more common to have variation in # of indiv. vertebra WITHIN a region, than add or delete a verbra in the spine. (i.e. IF 11 Thoracics, THEN 6 Lumbar) vs. 23 or 25 segments in the Spine.
  

TYPICAL

SPINAL VERTEBRA

DIVIDED INTO 

TWO BASIC (general) PARTS

• ANTERIOR:
• Vertebral Body (Centrum)
• POSTERIOR:
• Vertebral Arch
• (POSTERIOR, DORSAL, NEURAL, SPINAL)
• 2 PEDICLES + 2 LAMINAE
• 7 PROCESSES
• (1 SPINOUS---2 TRANSVERSE---4 ARTICULAR)
  

VERTEBRAL

FORAMEN

(NEURAL FORAMEN, NEURAL RING, SPINAL FORAMEN)

Formed when the PEDICLES of the VERTEBRAL ARCH unites with the BODY of the vertebra.

The HOLE that the SPINAL CORD goes through.

Several spinal foramen together form a NEURAL/SPINAL/VERTEBRAL CANAL

• LARGEST PART of the vertebra
• Supports the most weight placed on vertebra
• TYPICAL shape is CYLINDRICAL or SQUARE
• TRANSVERSE DIAMETER of the vertebral bodies increases in size from C-2 to L-3. 
• (The last 2 vertebral bodies may actually be smaller than L-3)
• Superior & Inferior surfaces somewhat FLAT
• POSTERIOR MARGIN is slightly CONCAVE

• Ring of hard compact bone
• Surrounds the SUPERIOR and INFERIOR surfaces of the VERTEBRAL BODY
• Secondary center of ossification
• Allows for BONE GROWTH
• FUSES to the vertebral body BETWEEN 16-20

END PLATE

(Hyaline Cartilage)

• 3mm thick HYALINE CARTILAGE 
• PART OF the intervertebral DISC
• Forms a biomechanical function
• Contributes to resiliency of the vertebral segment
• DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE absorbed by disc
• NUTRITION of Disc

• ANTERIOR part of VERTEBRAL ARCH
• 2 short thinck round attachments of bone
• Fuse to posterior lateral aspect of VERTEBRAL BODIES between 3-6 YEARS
• LATERAL TO NEURAL FORAMEN
• Form a PEDICLE NOTCH/VERTEBRAL NOTCH above and below the pedicle.

IVF

INTERVERTEBRAL FORAMEN

(OSTEOLIGMENTOUS CANAL)

• INTERVERTEBRAL FORAMEN
• Opening BETWEEN VERTEBRAL SEGMENTS
• SPINAL NERVES EXIT through this opening
• SUPERIOR PEDICLE NOTCH becomes the FLOOR
• INFERIOR PEDICAL NOTCH becomes the ROOF
• Constantly changing shape as the vertebra moves (opens with flexion & lateral bending to the opposite side, closes with extension and lateral bending to the same side)

• CONGENITAL SHORTENING
• ONE OR BOTH OF PEDICLES
• Constricts the contents of the canal
• More common in MALES
• Mainly found in LUMBAR REGION
• Causes low back pain as the spinal canal is narrowed

LAMINA

(pl. LAMINAE)

• 2 BONES that connect to the posterior aspect of the pedicles and form the POSTERIOR PORTION of the VERTEBRAL ARCH (POSTERIOR & LATERAL TO NEURAL FORAMEN)
• ANGLE POSTERIOR & MEDIAL
• Unite together in the posterior to help form SPINOUS PROCESS
• CLOSE OFF BACK OF SPINAL CANAL (see SPINA BIFIDA)
• FUSE during FIRST YEAR OF LIFE (0-1)

SPINA BIFIDA

[Latin sp[image]na, spine + Latin bifida split in two.]

Schistorrhachis (sh[image]-stôr[image][image]-k[image]s)

[Greek skhistos, split + Greek rhakhis, backbone.]

Spondylochesis 

• CONGENTIAL condition
• SPINOUS PROCESS do not form
• Laminae do not fuse--opening in back of vertebra
• NUERAL TUBE DEFECT
• PATIENTS HAVE TAN DISCOLORATION OVER AREA
• 40% OF PATIENTS HAVE TUFT OF BLACK HAR HIRSUTISM

SPINA BIFIDA OCCULTA

vs.

MENINGOCELE

vs.

MYELOMENINGOCELE

• SPINA BIFIDA OCCULTA: 
• LAMINAE do not fuse
• MENINGOCELE:
• Out-pouching of SPINAL CORD
• MYELOMENINGOCELE:
• Outpouching of SPINAL CORD
• Contains NERVOUS TISSUE

SP

SPINOUS PROCESS

• MOST POSTERIOR part of vertebra
• Size/Shape varies with spinal region
• May BEND/DEVIATE right or left from midline due to TRAUMA
• LEAST RELIABLE area of palpation when trying to ascertain subluxation (RELATINGN TO STATIC MALPOSITION)

SP

SPINOUS PROCESS 

• TIP of spinous process FUSES with process ~16 
• (PEDICLES==3-6, EPIPHYSEAL PLATE==16-20)
• LAMINAE CLOSE DURING FIRST YEAR OF LIFE
  
• PURPOSE OF SP: Attachment of Muscles & ligaments
• MUSCLES THAT ATTACH TO SP EXTEND VERTEBRAE AND HELP ROTATE IT EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT, FLEX LATERALLY, OR BEND
  

TVP

TRANSVERSE PROCESSES

• TWO Transverse Processes (Left and Right)
• Project laterally from LAMINA-PEDICLE JUNCTION
• Vary in size and shape depending on region.
• PUSPOSE: Attachement of muscles and ligaments
• MUSCLES THAT ATTACH HERE ARE MAINLY FOR MAINTAINING POSTURE & INDUCING ROTATION & LATERAL BENDING (LATERAL FLEXION).

TVP

TRANSVERSE PROCESS

• TIPS FUSE to transverse process ~16
• TWO PARTS: (BEST SEEN IN THE CERVICAL VERTEBRAE)
• DIAPOPHYSIS = TRUE transverse process (POSTERIOR PART)
• PLEURAPOPHYSIS = COSTAL ELEMENT (ANTERIOR PART)

COSTOTRANSVERSE LAMELLA

OR

INTERTUBERCULAR LAMELLAE

AP

ARTICULAR PROCESSES

• Called ZYGAPOPHYSIS
• 4 articular processes
• 2-SUPERIOR (SAP): PREZYGAPOPHYSIS
• 2-INFERIOR (IAP): POSTZYGAPOPHYSIS
• CERVICAL FACETS: oriented in CORONAL PLANE
• THORACIC FACETS: oriented in CORONAL PLANE
• LUMBAR FACETS: oriented in SAGITAL PLANE

The ARTICULAR PROCESSES (AP)

• 2-SUPERIOR: PREZYGAPOPHYSIS  (SAP)
• 2-INFERIOR: POSTZYGAPOPHYSIS (IAP)

• 2 superior articular processes (SAP)
• Located on the SUPERIOR ASPECT of the vertebra

• 2 inferior articular processes (IAP)
• Located on the INFERIOR ASPECT of the vertebra

APOPHYSEAL JOINT

ZYGAPOPHYSEAL JOINT

Z-JOINT

• The joint between 2 adjacent articular processes

• The "FACE"
• The smooth surface on the ARTICULAR PORTION of the articular process

• Surrounds the ARTICULAR JOINT
• 3 MAIN PARTS:
• Inner Part: SYNOVIAL MEMBRANE
• Central Layer: VASCULAR and composed of loose connective tissue
• Outer Part: made up of connective tissue which connects to the articular processes. Rich in SENSORY NERVE SUPPLY.

• INNER PART of the ARTICULAR CAPSULE

• Meningeal branch of the SPINAL NERVES

• Outer layers of dense fibroelastic Connective Tissue
• Vascular central layer of loose Connective Tissue
• Inner layer of SYNOVIAL MEMBRANE
• ANTERIOR-MEDIAL JOINT is covered by the LAGAMENTUM FLAVUM

• Covers the ANTERIOR MEDIAL side of the ARTICULAR JOINT

ARTICULAR JOINT CAPSULE

(innervation)