Spine structure (important features)

1.Spine consists of a chain of the same formations: vertebras and connective them joints.

The seventh thoracic vertebra, T7

2.There are segments and sections, which are distinguished in the spine. Intervertebral disc and two neighboring vertebras are included in the structure of the spine segment. Sometimes, mentioning the motive segment, people also include the joints, ligaments and muscles, relating to it. Segments are definable from the skull up to sacrum.

Spine structure includes different number of vertebras. Neck section – 7 vertebras, thorax – 12 vertebras (per 6 vertebras in the bottom thorax and upper thorax), lumbar – 5, sacral – 5, coccyx – 3-4 (5 - rarer). Pay attention, how a number of vertebras in the sections is decreased! This is a rule.

3.Spine sections are differed:

• by the vertebral structure’s form,
• by mobility,
• by direction of the natural curve.

Neck vertebras have more diverse structure. Lateral appendices of these vertebras have vessels, supplying brain by blood. That is why violation of architectural interrelations in the neck section (displacement) may promote appearance of headaches and adaptive changes in the brain vessels!

Neck vertebra (the third, C3)

Thorax vertebras are more massive in comparison with neck ones. Besides general for all the vertebras tasks, these vertebras are a support for the thorax.

Lumbar vertebras are more massive. They experience load of the upper body part. During inclinations, and especially at the lift of something during inclination, load on lumbar intervertebral discs increasing almost in 10 times!

Lumbar vertebra (the fifth, L5)

Sacral section (sacrum - simpler) is a support of the upper spinal sections. This is a single bone formation at the grown-up man, consisting of accrete vertebras. Bodies of these vertebras are more expressive, and appendices – less expressive. There is a tendency of reduction of the vertebral power in the sacrum (from the first up to fifth one).

Sacrum (S1-5)

Sometimes, the fifth lumbar vertebra may be grown together with a sacrum.

A peculiarity of aspiration to the zero manifestation is more noticeable in the sacrum.

Sectional mobility is more expressed in the direction of the head and less expressed in the opposite direction. Neck section is mobile, thorax – slow-moving, lumbar is mobile, sacral and coccyx - are immovable. Such functional activity of the neck and lumbar sections promotes more often affection of intervertebral discs in them (besides the other features).

Spine has natural curves in front (lordosis) and back (kyphosis). Neck and lumbar sections are curved forward. Thorax and lumbar-sacral sections are curved back. This is also a rule. It is considered, that these curves rationally improve fulfillment by the spine of its shock-absorbing tasks, increasing resistance to loads and smooth pushes (concussions) during movement. Muscles play an important role in maintenance of such condition. They like TV-tower extensions hold spinal column, transmitting to it a necessary strength stock. At the osteochondrosis curves may be increased or flattened. These changes – is an important sign of load on intervertebral discs.

4. Vertebral foramina form vertebral canal, where spinal cord and its nerves are located. Spinal cord finishes on the level of the second lumbar vertebra (L2) by the conic bevel at the grown-up man. Further the canal has spinal cord’s nerves, forming the so-called cauda equine. Spinal cord has two thickenings: neck and lumbar ones. That is why intervertebral herniations of the neck spinal section are more dangerous, than ones of the lumbar spinal section.

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