General Questions
How many vertebrae are in each section of the vertebral column?
Cervical: 7
Thoracic: 12
Lumbar: 5
Sacral: 5
Coccygeal: 3-4
What causes secondary curvature?
Weightbearing in the neck during crawling
Weightbearing in the pelvis during upright walking
Which vertebra is the dens located on and which vertebrae does it articulate with?
Located on C2 the axis
Articulates with C1 the atlas
A person is killed after diving into a sandbar and hitting the top of their head. What fx most likely happened?
A Jefferson’s (burst) fx
C1 compression which 1 or both arches are fractured allowing the dens to move around and into the SC
If an IV disc were to become displaced posteriorly what would the effects be?
If an IV disc were to dislocate posteriorly it will run into the SC and impact motor function as the motor pathways are located anteriorly
What are the three distinguishing features of the cervical vertebrae?
Bifid spinous process
Transverse foramen
Uncinate process
What type of curvature is Lordosis associated with?
Secondary
What is the purpose of the uncinate processes?
Prevents lateral translation
A person is killed after extreme hyperextension of the head. What type of fx most likely occurred?
A Hangman's fx
Fx of the pars interarticularis which allows the dens to move around and into the SC
Why do the IV discs tend to displace posterolaterally?
Posterior d/t less annular fibers posteriorly and smaller posterior longitudinal l.
Laterally d/t posterior longitudinal l. medial placement
What passes through the transverse foramen?
Vertebral arteries
A patient presents asking for a scoliosis assessment, they can bend over and touch their knees. When looking at the patients’ shoulders, they are uneven. What are you going to tell the patient? What would you tell the patient if their shoulders were even?
They do have scoliosis
If the shoulders were even no scoliosis is present
You see a costal facet on the vertebrae you are examining, from where in the vertebral column is the vertebrae from?
Thoracic
A patient has a fx of the pars interarticularis that dislocates anteriorly. What has occurred? What are the implications of this? Where will this most likely occur?
Spondylolisthesis
The whole VC will shift anteriorly
Will occur most likely between L4-S1 d/t angle of the vertebra
Where in the vertebral column are the IV discs the largest?
Cervical and Lumbar regions
Which bony landmarks make up the vertebral arch?
Transverse process, pedicle, lamina, and spinous process
You are seeing a patient who presents with hyperextension of the lumbar vertebrae and increased weight carried in their abdomen. What type of abnormal curvature do they have and how do we fix it?
Excessive lumbar lordosis
fixed by strengthening abdominal muscles
On the lumbar vertebrae you will find which three features are unique?
mammillary
accessory mammillary
largest vertebral body
What are the possible consequences of the sclerotomes not dividing correctly?
Block vertebrae
failure of separation of 2 adjacent vertebral bodies
cervical or lumbar ribs
Who is the better cohort?
OT
What is the difference between the vertebral foramen and vertebral canal?
Foramen is in a singular vertebra
Canal is the collection of the holes in all the vertebrae
You are seeing a patient who presents with increased thoracic kyphosis, how will this affect their breathing?
Patient will have a hard time fully inhaling and will recruit other muscles to help
work on posture
increased rate in older adults
Where on an IV disc are the annular fibers less prominent in the fibrous layer?
Posterior
Which do you like better cats or dogs?
Both answers are valid
What is something fun you will do on break
No answer involving school is valid