As one of the “royal” parts of your body, your spine performs many roles.
First of all, your spine gives shape and support to the rest of your body. Close your eyes and imagine what your body would look like if your spine were shaped as a square. Not a pretty picture? Nevertheless, it will help you understand how your body is put together around your spine, clinging on to it, growing around it, like leaves on the branches of a tree.
So your spine is the architect who designs the basic blueprints of your body. Right?
Right. But you’ re still a little short...
More than just a rigid framework holding your body in place, you should imagine your spine as an adjustable bundle of small bones, carefully linked together, like pearls on a necklace. These pearls –in this case, the vertebrae- are closely connected to one another and move together as a group. However, each vertebrae keeps it`s own individuality, allowing each bone to articulate with the next. And what good is this for? This flexibility allows you not only to arch backwards, bend forwards and twist from side to side, but also lets you move about freely, combining positions in a large range of movement.
So your spine is a flexible structure that gives you movement and suppleness. Anything else?
Yes. Your spine gives you protection. It protects that massive column of nerves called the spinal cord, the very same that connects your brain with the rest of your body and that is responsable for practically every single one of your movements, as well as for the correct function of your internal organs.
So, adding it up we’ve got structure, shape, movement, flexibility and protection. Ladies and gentleman, s`il vous plaît, let’s give a round of applause for all of these functions, brought to you by your spine!
So What Exactly, Is It?
Thirty three bones called vertebrae, five different types of joints, thirty pairs of nerves, aproximately forty muscles and numerous connecting tendons and ligaments running from the base of your skull all the way down to your tailbone... That`s your spine.
Whoa! A little too fast? Let`s go step by step...
Take It From The Top
The backbone or spine is made up of thirty three small, irregluar bones called vertebrae, that are stacked on top of each other to create the spinal column.
Each vertebrae consists of a body and a ring.
The body of the vertebrae is the large, round portion of the bone.
The ring attached to the vertebral body consists of several parts: the spinous process, the transverse processes, the laminae and the pedicle.
Let`s start with the easiest one to picture:
The spinous process is the bony portion opposite of the vertebral body. Run your hand up and down your back and you`ll feel the spinous processes sticking out.
The transverse processes are two bony bumps that stick out from each side. They are placed between the body and spinous process. This is one of the places where the back muscles and the ribs attach to the vertebrae.
Finally, the pedicles are two segments that go from the vertebral body to the transverse processes while the laminae a two projections that go from transverse processes to the spinous processes.
When the vertebrae are stacked up, the ring creates a tube called the spinal canal that forms a pathway for the spinal cord.
