Anatom y of the Hum an B ack

Anatomy & Physiology

Keiser University

Student 1
Student 2
Parts of the vertebrae

The vertebrae colum n is divided

into five parts:
• Cervical vertebrae
• Thoracic vertebrae
• Lum bar vertebrae
• Sacrum
(Saladin, 2015)
• Coccyx

(St-Jacques, 2014)

Saladin, K. (2015). Anatomy and phyisology: The unity form and function (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill
St-Jacques, R. (2014). The vertebral colum n. Retrieved from http://www.corpshum ain.ca/en/Colonne_Vertebrale_en.php
 Cervical vertebrae
(C 1 -C 7 )

 Cervical vertebrae of the spine consist of seven bony rings that reside in
the neck between the base of the skull and the thoracic vertebrae in the
trunk
 Are the thinnest and m ost delicate bones
 Support the head, protect the spinal cord, and provide m obility to the
head and neck
 Nam ed by its position in order from superior (C1 or first cervical
vertebra) to inferior (C7 or seventh cervical vertebra)
(Taylor, 2015)

Taylor, T. (2015). Inner body: Cervical vertebrae. Retrieved from http://

www.innerbody.com /anatom y/skeletal/cervical-vertebrae-lateral
 Cervical vertebrae
C1 & C2
 C1 vertebra, which holds up the skull, is nam ed the atlas after the
m ythological titan Atla s who sim ila rly held the Earth on his shoulders.
Similar to the C1 vertebra, the C2 vertebra is named the axis as it
provides the axis upon which the skull and atlas rotate when the head is
moved side to side
 Allows the ability to say Yes and No (Taylor, 2015)

(Giles, 2015) (Giles, 2015)

Giles, S. (2015). Where technology and orthopedics collides. Retrieved from http://m orphopedics.wikidot.com/broken-neck
Taylor, T. (2015). Cervical vertebrae. Retrieved from http://www.innerbody.com /anatom y/skeletal/cervical-vertebrae-lateral
 (Greek-Gods, 2015)

Greek-G ods. (2015). Greek Titans: Atlas the god of astronomy. Retrieved from http://www.greek-gods.info/tita
 Cervical vertebrae
C3-C7
 Most flexion (m oving the head forward) and extension (m oving the head
backward) m ovem ents in the neck are controlled by the C5-C6 and C6-
C7 segm ents of the spine
(Taylor, 2015)

(Olexik, 2015)

Olexik, W. (2015). Bone pictures. Retrieved from http://faculty.m ontgom erycollege.edu/wolexik/204_bone _pictures_page.htm
Taylor, T. (2015). Cervical vertebrae. Retrieved from http://www.innerbody.com/anatom y/skeletal/cervical-vertebrae-lateral
  Spine has eight cervical nerves, C1 through C7, that branch off of the
spinal cord and exit through the neural foram en in the back of the spine
 Nam ed for the vertebra below it. For exam ple, the nerve root that runs
between the C5 and C6 is the C6 nerve
(Sellers, 2002)

(Spinal-injury Network 2009)

2). All about upper back pain. Retrieved from http://www.spine-health.com /conditions/upper-back-pain/all-about-upper-ba ck-pain
njury Network. (2009). Com plete spinal cord injuries. Retrieved from http://www.spinal-injury.net/complete-spinal-cord-injury.htm
 Origin Insertion
Scalenus anterior Anterior tubercles of the transverse Scalene tubercle on the inner border and
processes of C03-C06 upper surface of the first rib

Scalenus medius Posterior tubercles of the transverse Upper surface of the first rib
processes of C02-C07

Scalenus posterior Posterior tubercles of the transverse Outer surface of the second rib;
processes of C05-C07 occasionally blended with the scalenus
m edius
Trapezuim Medial superior nuchal line & external Lateral clavicle, acrom ion and spine of
protuberance of occipial bone scapula

(Loyola University Medical Education Network, 2015)

(Im ageKB, 2015)

Loyola University Medical Education Network. (2015). Scalenus anterior. Retrieved from http://www.lum en.luc.edu/lum en/m eded/grossanatom y/dissector/m m l/sa.htm
Im ageKB. (2015). Scalenus posterior im age. Retrieved from http://www.im agekb.com /scalenus-posterior
 Cervical vertebrae
(C1-C7)
 The rubbery disks that lie between the vertebrae in your spine consist of
a soft center (nucleus) surrounded by a tougher exterior (annulus). A
herniated disk occurs when a portion of the nucleus pushes through a
crack in the annulus. Sym ptoms m ay occur if the herniation compresses
a nerve. (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research,
2015b)

(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and

Mayo FoundationRefos er aMrcehd, i2c0a1l 5Ebd)ucation and Research. (2015b). Herniated disk. Retrieved from
http://www.m ayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/herniated-disk/multim edia/herniated-disk/im g-20006459
 Cervical vertebrae
(C1-C7)
 The seven vertebrae of the cervical spine are connected in the back by
paired facet joints, which allow for forward and backward extensions, as
well as twisting m ovem ents.
 These facet joints can wear down over time and lead to cervical spinal
stenosis or osteoarthritis
(Sellers, 2002)

(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2015a)

Sellers, J. T. (2002). All about upper back pain. Retrieved from http://www.spine-health.com /conditions/upper-back-pain/all-about-upper-back-pain
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2015a). Arthritis: Knee and shoulder; neck and back. Retrieved from
 Cervical stenosis symptoms with myelopathy
 People with cervical stenosis with m yelopathy m ay note one or m ore of the
following spinal stenosis sym ptoms:
 Heavy feeling in the legs
 Inability to walk at a brisk pace
 Deterioration in fine m otor skills (such as handwriting or buttoning a shirt)
 Interm ittent shooting pains into the arm s and legs (like an electrical shock),
especially when bending their head forward
 Arm pain (Sellers, 2002)

(Medical Multim edia Group, 2002) (Sm ith, 2015)

Sellers, J. T. (2002). All about upper back pain. Retrieved from http://www.spine-health.com /conditions/upper-back-pain/all-about-upper-back-pain
Sm ith, K. (2015). What is cervical spinal stenosis. Retrieved from http://www.braceability.com/blog/what-is-cervical-spinal-stenosis/
Medical Multim edia Group, LLC. (2002). A patient's guide to cervical spinal stenosis. Retrieved from
http://www.houstonm ethodist.org/orthopedics/where-does-it-hurt/neck/cervical-spinal-ste nosis
 Thoracic vertebrae
T1-T12
 The thoracic spine refers to the upper- and m iddle-back
 Thoracic spine is m ade up of twelve vertebrae, la beled T1-T12
 Rib cage is connected to each level of the thoracic spine

Thoracic spine and rib cage anchor each level of the spine from T1-T10
provide both stability and a protected space for the heart, lungs, liver
and other vital organs

The ribs connected to T11 and T12 at the bottom of the thoracic spine
do not attach the sternum in front, but do provide protection for the
kidneys in the back of the body
(Yezak, 2011)

Yezak, M. (2011). Thoracic spine anatom y and upper back pain. Retrieved from http://
 Thoracic vertebrae
T1-T12

(Filler, n.d.)

Filler, A. (n.d.). Spine and nerve anatom y. Retrieved from http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapter_Fig_folders/C h05_Anatom y_Folder/5Thoraci
 Sacrum
S1-S5
 Large wedge shaped vertebra at the inferior end of the spine
 It form s the solid base of the spinal column where it intersects with the
hip bones to form the pelvis
 Strong bone that supports the weight of the upper body as it is spread
across the pelvis and into the legs
 The sacrum form s from five individual vertebrae that start to join during
late adolescence and early adulthood to form a single bone by around
the age of thirty a ridge of tubercles along the posterior surface of the
sacrum represents the spinous processes of these fused bones

(Taylor, 2015)

Taylor, T. (2015). Cervical vertebrae. Retrieved from http://www.innerbody.com /anatom y/skeletal/cervical-vertebrae-lateral

 (John Wiley and Sons, n.d.)

John Wiley and Sons. (n.d.). Inferior lateral angel of sacrum . Retrieved from
http://picshype.com /inferior-lateral-angle-of-sacrum
 Prognosis Of Back Pain

 Most people with acute low back pain are back at work within a m onth
and fully recover within a few m onths. According to one study, about a
third of patients with uncom plicated low back pain significantly
improved after a week; two-thirds recovered by 7 weeks.

 However, studies now suggest that up to 75% of patients suffer at least

one recurrence of back pain over the course of a year. After 4 years,
fewer than half of patients m ay be sym ptom-free. Som e doctors are
approaching the problem as one that is not necessarily curable and that
needs a consistent on-going approach.
(Sim on & Z ieve, 2013)

Sim on, H., & Z ieve, D. (2013). Back pain and sciatica. Retrieved from
http://pennstatehershey.adam .com/conte nt.aspx?productId= 10&pid= 10&gid= 000054
 Medications And Side Effects
 Aspirin (Bayer, Excedrin)
Side effects include a risk of ulcers and bleeding. Not for long-term use
unless recomm ended by your health care provider. Take with food.

 OxyContin (oxycodone), Percocet (oxycodone with acetam inophen)

Side effects include nausea, constipation, and a risk of addiction. Som e of
these m edicines can disrupt the natural sleep cycle, reducing

 Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine)
Relieves pain from spasm and helps with sleep. Side effects include
drowsiness, dry m outh, constipation and confusion. Should not be used for
long-term pain relief.
(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2015b)

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2015b). Herniated disk. Retrieved from
http://www.m ayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/herniated-disk/m ultim edia/herniated-disk/im g-20006459
 Filler, A. (n.d.). Spine and nerve anatom y. Retrieved from
http://www.backpain-guide.com /Chapter_Fig_folders/Ch05_Anatom y_Folder/5ThoracicVert.html
References Giles, S. (2015). Where technology and orthopedics collides. Retrieved from http://m orphopedics.wikidot.com/broken-neck
Greek-Gods. (2015). Greek Titans: Atlas the god of astronomy. Retrieved from http://www.greek-gods.info/titans/atlas/
Im ageKB. (2015). Scalenus posterior im age. Retrieved from http://www.im agekb.com/scalenus-posterior
John Wiley and Sons. (n.d.). Inferior lateral angel of sacrum . Retrieved from http://picshype.com /inferior-lateral-angle-of-sacrum
Loyola University Medical Education Network. (2015). Scalenus anterior. Retrieved from

http://www.lu m en.luc.edu/lu m en/m eded/grossanatom y/dissector/m m l/sa.htm

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2015a). Arthritis: Knee and shoulder; neck and back. Retrieved from
http://www.orthobalancept.com /arthritis-kne e-neck-and-back/
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2015b). Herniated disk. Retrieved from
http://www.m ayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/herniated-disk/m ultim e dia/herniated-disk/im g-20006459
Olexik, W. (2015). Bone pictures. Retrieved from http://faculty.montgom erycollege.edu/wolexik/204_bone_pictures_page.htm
Saladin, K. (2015). Anatomy and phyisology: The unity form and function (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill

Sellers, J. T. (2002). All about upper back pain. Retrieved from

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/upper-back-pain/all-about-upper-back-pain
Simon, H., & Z ieve, D. (2013). Back pain and sciatica. Retrieved from
http://pennstatehershey.adam .com /content.aspx?productId= 10&pid= 10&gid= 000054
Spinal Injury Network. (2009). Com plete spinal cord injuries. Retrieved from

http://www.spinal-injury.net/com plete -spinal-cord-injury.htm

St-Jacques, R. (2014). The vertebral colum n. Retrieved from http://www.corpshum ain.ca/en/Colonne_Vertebrale_en.php
Taylor, T. (2015). Inner body: Cervical vertebrae. Retrieved from
http://www.innerbody.com /anatomy/skeletal/ce rvical-vertebrae-lateral
Yezak, M. (2011). Thoracic spine anatom y and upper back pain. Retrieved from