The human anatomy is among the most astonishing creations, which is more complex compared to the most intricate machines that man has ever made. Commonly called the backbone, the spinal column is among the most vital human anatomy parts.
It refers to a structure of bones that works to cover and protect your spinal cord. Others names for the spinal column are the vertebral column and the spine. The spine is located in the human body’s dorsal side, beginning from the skull’s base to the region of pelvis. This is a flexible structure which supports the body and allows three- dimensional body movements. To study spine anatomy, read on for more information.
The Structure of the Spine
The spine anatomy is composed of several tiny cylindrical bones known as vertebrae that are positioned vertically. Every individual vertebra is not connected to its neighbor, due to the presence of a cartilage cushion known as intervertebral disc. Vertebrae are piled in such a way that the circular hole in consecutive articulated vertebra takes jointly a tunnel’s shape. This is known as the spinal canal, housing the spinal cord. Housed by the spinal column, the spinal cord is a thin, long cluster of nerve fibers which starts from the brain to the spinal canal. A fluid known as cerebrospinal fluid surrounds the spinal cord, protecting the nerves. On the other hand, these nerves are responsible for transmitting messages out of the brain to various body parts and vice versa.
The normal spinal column is composed of thirty- three vertebrae. Each of these vertebrae is made up of an anterior section which has a bony arch and encloses the foramen (the huge central hole), a posterior section which has a spinous process (felt by means of the skin in lumbar and cervical regions), and two crosswise processes (that is, one on every side). Ligaments and muscles are attached to many different projections within the vertebrae.