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Vertebral ColumnThe body’s main axis
Supports the head Protects the spinal cord Site of attachment for limbs and muscles Consists of a column of 33 irregular bones
called vertebrae Curved when viewed from the side
◦ Differences in structure and size by region 5 anatomical regions
A.K.A. backbone or spine
Cervical (neck) – 7 vertebrae Thoracic (chest) – 12 Lumbar (lower, “small” of the back) – 5 Sacral (sacrum/upper pelvic) – 5 fused Coccogeal (tailbone) – 4 fused (vestigial tail)
5 anatomical regions of the spine
2 points of contact called articulations located behind their main body
Articulations with ribs Spinal cord passes through the hollow cavity
between articulations and the main body Neighboring vertebrae are separated by the
intervertebral disc – flat, elastic and compressible shock absorbers◦ Flat gelatinous center w/tough layer of fibrocartilage◦ Allows a bit of movement – bend forward, lean back,
twist
Points of contact
Strong impact can compress an intervertebral disc forcing the soft center to balloon outward, press on spinal nerves causing severe pain = herniated or slipped disc
Occurs most often in lumbar vertebrae Can rupture releasing pulpy contents Surgery can relieve pain/pressure against
the nerve – disc must be fused w/ adjacent vertebrae and limits flexibility
Problems
Severe injury to vertebral column can damage or sever the cord causing partial or complete paralysis of the body below that point
Don’t move someone that might have a spinal injury because it could make it worse
Protection of spinal cord
Stretch your leg in front of you with your heel resting on the floor
Relax your muscles Try to move your knee cap (patella) It should be easy to shift it out of position Now w/out changing position tighten your
thigh muscles The kneecap should be hard to move with
thigh contracted Contraction puts tension on the tendon and
ligament and holds patella in place
Appreciating ligaments & tendons
Repetitive motions – carpel tunnel syndrome Connective tissue sheath holds the carpel
bones of the wrist together Carpel tunnel delivers blood vessels, nerves
and tendons to the carpel bones Overuse causes swelling and inflammation of
the tendons causing them to press against the nerve supplying the hand numbness of wrist and hand
Mild cases = pain relievers, severe = surgery to relieve pressure
Diseases & disorders of the skeleton
Imbalance of the activities of osteoclasts and osteoblasts
Caused by inactivity & poor diet Hunched posture Post menopausal women at higher risk due
to decreased estrogen
Osteoporosis
Stretched or torn ligaments Accompanied by internal bleeding
(bruising), swelling and pain Ankle most common Take a long time to heal because ligaments
have few cells and poor blood supply Stretches mend with time Tears may require surgery to remove
damaged tissue and stabilize with a piece of tendon or repositioning other ligaments
Sprains
Inflammation of bursae or tendons following injury
Heal slowly due to low blood supply Caused by blows to joint, tearing injuries,
bacterial infection Treatment – cold first 24 hrs; heat after that,
resting, elevating injured area, pain relievers, warming sock treatment
Tennis elbow, knees, shoulder, Achilles tendon (pulls up back of heal)
Bursitis & tendonitis
General term for joint inflammation Most common – osteoarthritis – degenerative
wear and tear – 20 million Americans >45 Bony spurs form as cartilage wears away and
bones thicken Increased friction causes painful
inflammation OTC meds can help, surgical joint
replacement in severe cases; injections of hyaluric acid (a component of hyaline cartilage) can reduce knee pain temporarily
Arthritis
Also causes joint inflammation but it is caused by the body’s own immune system (autoimmune disorder) which mistakenly attacks the joint tissues
Rheumatoid arthritis
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