Spinal Cord
I am a plane joint of gliding/sliding. I am the articulation between the superior and inferior articular processes of the spine.
What is a Facet Joint?
Limit motion, Help maintain normal spinal curvature, Protect spinal cord and spinal nerves, Stabilize the spine
What are the functions of the Spinal Ligaments?
Inserting on the floor of the intertubercular groove of the humerus, we help extend, adduct, internal rotate, and aid respiration.
What is the Latissimus Dorsi?
I assist in the respiration process by depressing the ribs and my counterpart aids the respiration process by elevating the ribs.
What is the Serratus Posterior Inferior and Superior?
We are the 3 nerves that innervate the craniovertebral region. Don't forget, one of us does not have an associated dermatome!
What are the Suboccipital nerve, the Greater Occipital nerve, and the 3rd Occipital nerve?
I am oriented in the frontal plane. I allow for lateral flexion and some rotation.
What is the Thoracic Facet Joint?
I am located on the posterior portion of the vertebral body. I limit excessive flexion. Because I am smaller, discs often bulge posteriorly.
An injury to us may result in trouble shrugging our shoulders, retracting the scapula, and may cause some instability in our scapula.
What is the Trapezius?
When we contract bilaterally, our group tends to extend the head and spine. When we contract unilaterally, we flex and rotate the head and spine to the same side.
What are the Intermediate Intrinsic Muscles?
We make up the three borders of the suboccipital triangle.
What are the Rectus Capitis Posterior Major, the Obliquus Capitis Superior Minor, and the Obliquus Capitis Inferior?
I have no spinal process, but instead a posterior tubercle.
What is C1 (Atlas)
I help the PLL limit excessive flexion, and I also provide elasticity when returning the erect position. I am located on the posterior arch of the vertebral foramen.
This muscle draws the scapula medially and upward with downward rotation. This muscle is not a part of the rotator cuff, but has a very close relative who is!
What is the Rhomboid Major?
If this muscle group gets injured and cannot contract bilaterally, we will have trouble extending the Cervical and Thoracic spine. If we cannot contract unilaterally, we cannot flex our head, C and T spine to the same side while rotating to the opposite.
What is the Transversospinals Group?
One of us exits out of the suboccipital triangle while the other can be seen/palpated deep in the triangle. In other words, these are the contents of the triangle.
What are the Suboccipital nerve and the Vertebral artery?
This spinal nerve contains a root ganglion for sensory information.
What is the Dorsal Root Ganglion of the posterior root?
I transition into Ligamentum Nuchae and limit flexion.
What is the Supraspinous Ligament?
I have 3 portions, and am very mobile. As a result of this I am unstable and a very common injury is dislocation of one of my bones.
What is the deltoid?
We are tiny muscles that work to stabilize the spine. We also can unilaterally flex the cervical and thoracic spine laterally to the same side.
What are the Intertransversarri?
Bilaterally, this muscle group of the suboccipital region extends the head and unilaterally it rotates the head to the same side.
What is the Rectus Capitis Posterior?
I am located between the vertebrae and am made up of the Anulus Fibrosis and Nucleus Pulposus.
What are the intervertebral discs?
I am one of the big components of a vertebral joint. My counterparts are the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament, and the vertebral disc.
What is the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament?
I insert on the scapular superior angle, laying superior to the supraspinatous.
What is the Levator Scapulae?
This muscle crosses 2-4 vertebral segments as we travel the spine. Unilaterally contracting, we flex the spine to the same side and rotate it to the opposite side.
What are the multifidi?
What is the Obliquus Capitis Superior?