Vertebral Column

Ligaments :

Anterior longitudinal ligament

Posterior longitudinal ligament

Anterior surface of vertebral body

Anterior wall of vertebral canal

Connects posterior surface of vertebral body

Narrows as it descends

Articular ligaments:
All synovial articulations between ribs and vertebral column and synovial facets between vertebra

Ligaments associated with adjacent vertebral spines

Interspinous

Ligamentum Flavum

Supraspinous

Connects adjacent laminae

Ligamentum nuchar

Thickening of supraspinous ligaments in cervical region of neck

External occipital protuberance and nuchal line to C7

Movement

Lateral flexion

Extension

Flexion

Circumduction

Vertebral column and spinal cord

Canal

Cord

In adult does not take up whole canal
Ends: L1/L2 adults

Extends whole of vertebral column

Origin of cervical spine nerve is roughly same level as vertebrae:

T/L/S spinal nerves originate higher up than their corresponding vertebral levels

These nerve pass down individual nerves to exit their corresponding vertebral foramen

Spinal nerves :arise in pairs

8 Cervical
12 Thoracic
5 Lumbar
5 sacral

Each spinal nerve has a ventral rootlet and dorsal rootlet which unite to form spinal nerve

Dorsal rootlet:
Sensory info
Ventral rootlet: motor info

Spinal nerve exits vertebral column through intervertebral foramen

Dorsal Root Ganglion

Swelling on dorsal rootlets of spinal nerve before it converges with ventral rootlets

Contains cell bodies of all sensory neurons in that nerve

Surface anatomy

C7: flex neck and drop chin onto chest: most prominent vertebral spinous process : C7

L3/L4: line joining highest points of right and left iliac crests intersects midline at L3/L4. Lumbar punctures

Resists separation of laminae in flexion and assist in extension

inherent weakness can lead to herniated disc