Anatomy of Spine

• Primary curvature: Kyphosis
• developed in fetus
• concave anteriorly
• retained in thoracic and sacral regions in adults

• Secondary curvature: lordosis
• developed after birth
• convex anteriorly
• formed in cervial and lumbar regions
• develped as a result of postural changes
• brings the centre of gravity into a vertical line

• Cervical: 7
• Thoracic: 12
• Lumbar: 5
• Sacral: 5 -> fuse together to form the sacrum
• Coccygeal: 3-5

• Body
• Vertebral arch
• Vertebral foramen

• 2 pedicles
• 2 laminae
• 7 processes (2 transverse, 4 articular, 1 spinous)

• found between the superior and inferior articular processes
• weakest part of the vertebral arch

Fracture of the pars interarticularis resulting in the disconnection of the vertebral arch form the vertebral body

A vertebra sliding forward compressing the spinal cord and resulting in neurological damage

• Superior: inferior vertebral notch
• Inferior: superior vertebral notch
• Anterior: intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies
• Posterior: facet joint between the articular processes of the 2 vertebrae

for passage of spinal nerves and blood vessels

• Degenerative changes of the disc and facet joint due to OA 
• Subluxatoin of facet joints
• Narrowing of intervertebral and spinal foramen 
• Spinal canal stenosis - compression of nerve roots (pain, sensory loss or muscle weakness in the limb)
• annular bulge of disc

• Spina bifida occulta (small defects with no protrusion of meninges and spinal cords)
• Spina bifida cystica: Meningocele (meninges protruding), Myelocele (spinal cord protruding), Meningomyelocele (both spinal cord and meninges protruding)

• small body
• large and triangular vertebral foramen
• transverse foramen
• short and bifid spinous process

• C1
• C2
• C7

The Atlas

• Lateral mass (with transverse process and foramen)
• anterior arch
• posterior arch
• vertebral foramen
• transverse process
• transverse foramen

• Atlanto-occipital joint
• synovial joints comprising the convex occipital condyles which articulate with the concave superior articular surface of C1
• primary motion: flexion-extension -> nodding

The Axis

• Dens
• Body
• Transverse foramen
• Transverse process
• Pedicle
• Lamina
• Spinous process (bifid)

• Atlanto-axial joint
• Dens extends cranially to form the axis of rotation with atlas
• No intervertebral disc
• Primary function: lateral rotation -> no

• Cruciate ligament: superior longitudinal band, transverse ligament, inferior longitudinal band
• Transverse ligament (part of the cruciate ligament): keeps dens in contact with the anterior arch of C1
• Alar ligament: prevent excessive rotation

• hyperextension and hyperflexion of the neck
• fracture of atlas
• fracture of dens
• Torn transverse ligament

• heart-shaped body
• articulation facets on body and transverse process for rib attachment
• small and round vertebral foramen
• long and slender spinous process

• Massive and kidney-shaped body (for weight-bearing purpose)
• large and triangular vertebral foramen
• short and sturdy spinous process

• single bone consisting of 5 fused vertebrae
• triangular in shape
• concave anterior surface with 4 pairs of anterior sacral foramen
• convex posterior surface with 4 pairs of posterior sacral foramen
• sacral hiatus

a small triangle bone representing 3-5 fused coccygeal vertebrae