Vertebrae Region and Vertebral Column
What are the functions of the vertebral column?
Maintain posture and provide support of body weight and head. Protects the spinal cord and acts as a site for muscular attachments and joint morphology for trunk and head movements.
What are the superfcial muscles of the back?
Trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboid major/minor, and levator scapulae
What are the types of joints of the back?
Synovial and Symphyseal joints.
What are the vessels supplying the back?
Vertebral arteries, transverse cervical artery, suprascapular artery, dorsal scapular artery, posterior intercostal aa, direct branches from the aorta.
Name the location, layers, and spaces of the spinal cord.
Location-Vertebral canal
External to deep- Epidural space (filled w/ fat and blood vessels), dura mater (tough outer later forms dural sac), arachnoid mater (delicate spiderweb like layer), subarachnoid space (contains cerebral spinal fluid), pia mater (surround spinal cord closely and forms connections to the dura).
What are the five regions of vertebrae from superior to inferior, including the quantity of each.
7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 3 lumbar, 1 sacrum fused of 5 bones, and 1 coccygeal fused of 4 bones
Name both intermediate muscles of the back, innervation, and describe their function.
Serratus posterior superior and serratus posterior inferior. They move the ribs to assist in respiration and innervated by the intercostal nerves.
What happens if ligaments are posterior or anterior to the vertebral bodies?
Posterior: ligaments will be tense under flexion of the trunk, limiting flexion.
Anterior: ligaments will be tense under extension, limiting extension.
Describe the pathway of the vertebral arteries.
Leave the subclavian arteries and ascend through the transverse foramen of cervical vertebrae 1-6, passes through the foramen magnum and supplies the brain.
Hint=Matter and grooves
White matter tracts are externally in the spinal cord, grey matter is butterfly shaped. Has posterior and anterior horns (dorsal horns and ventral horns).
Anterior median fissure is a groove on the ventral surface of spinal cord. Central canal is a hollow region in the center of spinal cord containing cerebral spinal fluid.
What are primary and secondary curvatures? When and where do they occur?
Primary- present at birth, remains in the thoracic and sacral regions
Secondary- develops after birth in the lumbar and sacral regions
What are all of the movements provided by the muscles of the back?
Within the back: flexion/extension of the trunk, lateral flexion (side to side bending), rotation (twisting side to side)
Head movements: Flexion/extension of neck, lateral flexion, rotation of the head.
Upper limb: scapula rotation, protraction/retraction of scapula, elevation/depression of scapula, extension/medial rotatin/adduction of humerus.
What is the function of intervertebral discs and what two parts forming the disc?
Functions in shock absorption and allows some movement. Formed of the annulus fibrosis (an external ring) and the nucleus pulposus (gelatinous central portion).
What branches do the thyrocervical trunk gives rise to?
Transverse cervical artery, which gives rise to the dorsal scapular artery.
Suprascapular artery.
What do the dorsal and ventral rami innervate?
Dorsal Rami= innervates epaxial muscles of the back
Ventral Rami= innervates the hypaxial muscles of the anterior trunk and limbs.
Each spinal nerve innervates a strip of the skin called dermatome.
Briefly describe the anatomy of a typical vertebra.
Composed of a weight bearing body, a neural arch/vertebral arch enclosing the vertebral foramen. The arch is formed by posterior lamina and pedicles, connecting the lamina to the body. Each arch has a spinous process in the midline and two laterally projecting transverse processes. Each arch has two superior and inferior articular processes.
Name the deep muscles of the back, where the receive innervation, and another name for the deep mucsles of the back.
Deep muscles of the back=epaxial muscles
innervation=dorsal rami
muscles: splenius capitis and cervicis, erector spinae, and transversesopinalis group of muscles.
Name the ligaments that limits flexion and the ligaments that limits extension. Also name the ligaments associated with the atlantoaxial and atlanto-occipital joints.
Limits Flexion: Posterior longitudinal ligament, ligamentum flavum, supraspinous ligament, and interspinous ligaments.
Limits extension: Anterior longitudinal ligament
Atlantoaxial/Atlanto-occipital: Transverse ligament of the atlas and alar ligaments.
What supplies the superficial muscles of the shoulder and upper back?
Transverse cervical and suprascapular
Name all of the nerves supplying the back
Cranial nerve XI-Accessory nerve
Dorsal scapular nerve from C5 of brachial plexus
Middle scapular nerve/thoracodorsal nerve from posterior cord of brachial plexus
Dorsal rami of spinal cord
Discuss the two development of curvatures and the atypical curvature.
Kyphosis: occurs in the thoracic and sacral regions, can become exaggerated I nold age due to osteoporosis. Concaves anteriorly and convex posteriorly.
Lordosis: Occurs in the cervical and lumbar region. Cervical lordosis develops when infants begin raising their heads. Lumbar lordosis develops as a child begins siting and walking. Exaggerated in pregnant women. Convex anteriorly and concave posteriorly.
Scoliosis: An atypical lateral curvature of the vertebral column. Some causes are idiopathic or genetic components, occurs more often in females.
Name the muscles of the erector spinae and transversospinalis group, as well as their functions.
Erector spinae- extends and laterally flexes the back (iliocostalis, longissimus, spinalis)
Transversospinalis- rotation, extends intervetebral joints, flexes the head. (semispinalis {semispinalis, semispinalis capitis, semispinalis cervicis}, multifidus, and rotatores)
What are the locations and functions of the synovial joints?
Atlas and condyles of occipital bone: allows flexion and extension (nodding of head)
Atlas and Axis: allows lateral rotation (shaking head no)
Ribs and thoracic vertebrae: allows bucket handle movement of ribs, costal facets on body of thoracic vertebrae
Sacrum and ilium: Auricular surface of sacrum and ilium with limited movement.
Articular Processes of adjacent vertebrae: Cervical region (rotation, flexion/extension, lateral flexion), Thoracic region (coronal orientation, lateral flexion, some rotation), Lumbar region (sagittal orientation, flexion/extension)
What supplies the deep and lower back muscles?
Posterior intercostal arteries and direct branches from the aorta in the lumbar region
What do all of the nerves supplying the back innervate?
Accessory nerve- innervates trapezius for motor innervation
Dorsal scapular- innervates rhomboids and levator scapular
Thoracodorsal nerve- latissimus dorsi
Dorsal rami- deep musculature of the back (epaxial muscles)