From the base of the head near the spinal cord (clivus) to the coccyx, the spine is made up of bones, muscles, tendons, nerves, and other tissues (tailbone). The vertebrae (back bones) of the spine are the cervical spine (C1-C7), thoracic spine (T1-T12), lumbar spine (L1-L5), sacral spine (S1-S5), and tailbone. Each vertebra is separated from the others by a disc.
The vertebrae protect the spinal cord by wrapping around it. Each segment of the spinal cord comprises a pair of spinal nerves that transport information from the brain to the rest of the body. The cauda equina is a bundle of nerves that branches out beyond the conus medullaris (the end of the spinal cord).
A Detailed Note on Bones of Spine-
Now we will take a deeper look at the spine, types of bones in it, cervical vertebrae and at last at thoracic vertebrae.
Spine-
The spine or the backbone, is the body’s primary structural support. It connects the different parts of your musculoskeletal system. Sitting, standing, walking, twisting, and bending are all made easier by your spine. Back injuries, spinal cord problems and other conditions may all affect the spine and cause back pain.
Spine’s components-
1.Vertebrae: 33 stacked vertebrae make up the spinal canal (small bones). The spinal canal is a tube that contains the spinal cord and nerves, protecting them from injury. To give a range of motion, the majority of vertebrae shift. The lowest vertebrae, the sacrum and coccyx, are bonded together and do not move.
2.Facet joints: These spinal joints include cartilage (slippery connective tissue) that allows vertebrae to slide against one another. Facet joints enable you to twist and rotate while maintaining flexibility and stability. Arthritis may develop in these joints, causing back and neck pain.
3.Intervertebral disks (IVDs): These flat, circular cushions between the vertebrae operate as shock absorbers for the spine. Each disk features a soft, gel-like nucleus pulposus in the middle that is encircled by a flexible outer ring (the annulus). Continuous pressure is applied on the intervertebral disks. A herniated disk may rupture, allowing gel material from the nucleus to escape. Bulging, sliding, or ruptured discs, commonly known as herniated disks, may be brutally painful.
4.The spinal cord is a column of nerves that runs through the spinal canal. The cable runs from the top of the head to the bottom of the back. Thirty-one pairs of nerves emerge from the spinal canals (the neural foramen). These nerves transmit information from the brain to the muscles.
5.Ligaments are soft structures that connect the vertebrae and maintain the spine in place. Muscles support us and make us mobile. Tendons are connective tissues that connect muscles to bones and aid in movement.
Types of bones in it-
Five separate spine segments are made up of 33 vertebrae. These parts start at the neck and work their way down to your buttocks (back end)-
1.Cervical (neck): In the upper portion of the spine, there are seven vertebrae (C1 to C7). These neck vertebrae allow us to move our head. A lordotic curve is an inward C-shape formed by the cervical spine.
2.Thoracic (middle back): There are 12 vertebrae in the chest or thoracic region of the spine (T1 to T12). The thoracic spine connects your ribs. The kyphotic curve is a backward C-shape formed by this region of the spine bending out slightly.
3.The lumbar (lower back) region of the spine consists of five vertebrae (L1 to L5). Your lumbar spine supports the upper portions of your spine. It attaches to the pelvis and carries the majority of your body’s weight as well as the strain of lifting and carrying goods. The lumbar spine can act as an origin for many back related issues. A C-shaped lordotic curve is formed when the lumbar spine bends inward.
4.Sacrum: The sacrum is a triangle-shaped bone that links the hips to the spine. As a new-born grows in the womb, the five sacral vertebrae (S1 to S5) unite and do not move. The pelvic girdle is a ring formed by the sacrum and hip bones.
5.Coccyx (tailbone): The ion/ Coccyx (tailbone) is a little bone near the bottom of the spine that is made up of four fused vertebrae. The coccyx is attached to the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments.
These are the bones of the spine.
Cervical vertebrae-
1.The cervical spine is divided into two parts that are physically and functionally distinct. These two segments act together to allow the head and neck to rotate, lateral flexion, flexion, and extension.
2.It has 7 vertebrae. C1 and C2, the first two, are very specialised and have their own names: atlas and axis, respectively. The C3-C7 vertebrae have a body, pedicles, laminae, spinous processes, and facet joints, as well as a body, pedicles, laminae, spinous processes, and facet joints. are more traditional vertebrae, these are the bones of the spine in the cervical region.
3.C1 and C2 comprise a unique combination of articulations that provide the skull a lot of flexibility. C1 acts as a ring or washer on which the skull rests and articulates with C2’s dens or odontoid process in a pivot joint. Between the occiput and C1, around half of the neck’s flexion and extension occurs, and between C1 and C2, about half of the neck’s rotation occurs.
4.The cervical spine has a lot more mobility than the thoracic and lumbar spines. The cervical spine features transverse foramina in each vertebra for the vertebral arteries that provide blood to the brain, unlike the rest of the spine.
Thoracic vertebrae-
The thoracic spine is a spinal column segment that supports the chest and provides posterior attachment for the ribs, certain thoracic wall muscles, upper limb, abdomen, and back muscles. Between the superior cervical spine and the lower lumbar spine is the thoracic spine. It is made up of 12 vertebrae that differ in form and function from those found elsewhere in the vertebral column.
Conclusion-
In this article we read about spine, types of bones in it, cervical and lastly, we got to know about thoracic vertebrae. The spine is made up of bones and muscles that are placed in the back of the body and connect the brain to the pelvis to support the body. The typical human is born with 33 separate bones (vertebrae) that interact and link with one another through facets, which are flexible joints.
Because some vertebrae at the lower end of the spine fuse together, Most humans have just 24 vertebrae by the time they reach adulthood due to normal growth and development. reach adulthood. The spinal cord, which is positioned in the spinal canal, is protected by the vertebrae. Between the brain and the rest of the body, the spinal cord serves as a message transmitter.