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The Verteral Column

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Original Author(): Oliver Jone

Lat updated: Novemer 14, 2022
Reviion: 59

The verteral column i a erie of approximatel 33 one called verterae, which are eparated  interverteral dic.

The column can e divided into five di�erent region, with each region characteried  a di�erent verteral tructure.

In thi article, we hall look at the anatom of the verteral column – it function, tructure, and clinical ignificance.

Function
The verteral column ha four main function:

Protection – encloe and protect the pinal cord within the pinal canal.

upport – carrie the weight of the od aove the pelvi.

Axi – form the central axi of the od.

Movement – ha role in oth poture and movement.

Fig 1 – The verteral column viewed from the ide. The five di�erent region are hown and laelled.

tructure of a Verterae
All verterae hare a aic common tructure. The each conit of an anterior verteral od, and a poterior verteral arch.

Verteral od
The verteral od form the anterior part of each verterae.

It i the weight-earing component, and verterae in the lower portion of the column have larger odie than thoe in the upper portion (to etter
upport the increaed weight).

The uperior and inferior apect of the verteral od are lined with haline cartilage. Adjacent verteral odie are eparated  a firocartilaginou
interverteral dic.

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Fig 2 – The general tructure of a verterae.

Verteral Arch
The verteral arch form the lateral and poterior apect of each verterae.

In comination with the verteral od, the verteral arch form an encloed hole – the verteral foramen. The foramina of all the verterae line up to
form the verteral canal, which encloe the pinal cord.

The verteral arche have everal on prominence, which act a attachment ite for mucle and ligament:

pinou procee – each vertera ha a ingle pinou proce, centred poteriorl at the point of the arch.

Tranvere procee – each vertera ha two tranvere procee, which extend laterall and poteriorl from the verteral od. In the thoracic
verterae, the tranvere procee articulate with the ri.

Pedicle – connect the verteral od to the tranvere procee.

Lamina – connect the tranvere and pinou procee.

Articular procee – form joint etween one vertera and it uperior and inferior counterpart. The articular procee are located at the
interection of the laminae and pedicle.

Fig 3 – uperior view of a lumar verterae, howing it characteritic feature.

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Clinical Relevance: Interverteral Dic Herniation
The interverteral dic i a firocartilaginou clinder that lie etween the verterae, joining them together. The permit the flexiilit of the
pine, and act a hock aorer. In the lumar and thoracic region, the are wedge–haped – upporting the curvature of the pine.

ach verteral dic ha two part: the nucleu pulpou and annulu firou. The annulu firou i tough and collagenou, and it urround
the jell-like nucleu pulpou.

Herniation of an interverteral dic occur when the nucleu pulpou rupture, reaking through the annulu firou. The rupture uuall
occur in a poterior-lateral direction, after which the nucleu pulpoi can irritate near pinal nerve – reulting in a variet of neurological and
mucular mptom.

Claification of Verterae
Cervical Verterae
There are even cervical verterae in the human od. The have three main ditinguihing feature:
ifid pinou proce – the pinou proce ifurcate at it dital end.
xception to thi are C1 (no pinou proce) and C7 (pinou proce i longer than that of C2-C6 and ma not ifurcate).

Tranvere foramina – an opening in each tranvere proce, through which the verteral arterie travel to the rain.

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Triangular verteral foramen

Two cervical verterae that are unique. C1 and C2 (called the atla and axi repectivel), are pecialied to allow for the movement of the head.

Fig 5 – Characteritic feature of a cervical verterae

Thoracic Verterae
The twelve thoracic verterae are medium-ized, and increae in ize from uperior to inferior. Their pecialied function i to articulate with ri,
producing the on thorax.
ach thoracic vertera ha two ‘demi facet,’ uperiorl and inferiorl placed on either ide of it verteral od. The demi facet articulate with the
head of two di�erent ri.

On the tranvere procee of the thoracic verterae, there i a cotal facet for articulation with the haft of a ingle ri. For example, the head of Ri 2
articulate with the inferior demi facet of thoracic vertera 1 (T1) and the uperior demi facet of T2, while the haft of Ri 2 articulate with the cotal
facet of T2.

The pinou procee of thoracic verterae are oriented oliquel inferiorl and poteriorl. In contrat to the cervical verterae, the verteral foramen
of thoracic verterae i circular.

Fig 6 – Lateral view of a thoracic verterae.

Lumar Verterae
There are five lumar verterae in mot human, which are the larget in the verteral column. The are tructurall pecialied to upport the weight of
the toro.

Lumar verterae have ver large verteral odie, which are kidne haped. The lack the characteritic feature of other verterae, with no
tranvere foramina, cotal facet, or ifid pinou procee.

However, like the cervical verterae, the have a triangular-haped verteral foramen. Their pinou procee are horter than thoe of thoracic
verterae and do not extend inferiorl elow the level of the verteral od.

Their ize and orientation permit needle acce to the pinal canal and pinal cord (which would not e poile etween thoracic verterae).
xample include epidural anaetheia adminitration and lumar puncture.

acrum and Coccx

The acrum i a collection of five fued verterae. It i decried a an inverted triangle, with the apex pointing inferiorl. On the lateral wall of the
acrum are facet for articulation with the pelvi at the acroiliac joint.

The coccx i a mall one which articulate with the apex of the acrum. It i recognied  it lack of verteral arche. Due to the lack of verteral
arche, there i no verteral canal.

eparation of 1 from the acrum i termed “lumariation”, while fuion of L5 to the acrum i termed “acraliation”. Thee condition are congenital
anormalitie.

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Fig 7 – Diagram of the acrum and coccx, articulating with the pelvic one.

Joint and Ligament

The moile verterae articulate with each other via joint etween their odie and articular facet:

Left and right uperior articular facet articulate with the vertera aove.

Left and right inferior articular facet articulate with the vertera elow.

Verteral odie indirectl articulate with each other via the interverteral dic.

The verteral od joint are cartilaginou joint, deigned for weight-earing. The articular urface are covered  haline cartilage, and are
connected  the interverteral dic.

Two ligament trengthen the verteral od joint: the anterior and poterior longitudinal ligament, which run the full length of the verteral
column. The anterior longitudinal ligament i thick and prevent hperextenion of the verteral column. The poterior longitudinal ligament i weaker
and prevent hperflexion.

The joint etween the articular facet, called facet joint, allow for ome gliding motion etween the verterae. The are trengthened  everal
ligament:

Ligamentum flavum – extend etween lamina of adjacent verterae.

Interpinou and uprapinou – join the pinou procee of adjacent verterae. The interpinou ligament attach etween procee, and the
uprapinou ligament attach to the tip.

Intertranvere ligament – extend etween tranvere procee.

Fig 8 – Ligament of the lumar verterae

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Clinical Relevance: Anormal Morpholog of the pine
There are everal clinical ndrome reulting from an anormal curvature of the pine:

Kphoi – exceive thoracic curvature, cauing a hunchack deformit.

Lordoi – exceive lumar curvature, cauing a waack deformit.

colioi – lateral curvature of the pine, uuall of unknown caue.

Cervical pondloi – decreae in the ize of the interverteral foramina, uuall due to degeneration

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of the joint of the pine. The maller ize of the interverteral foramina put preure on the exiting
nerve, cauing pain.

Fig 9 – Radiograph of colioi of the pine.

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