Disorders & Abnormal Curvatures of

Spinal Column

Name of Spinal Disorder/Abnormality

Characteristics

Whiplash

• Cervical sprain• Soft tissue injury• Neck is forced to

move out of normal range of motion

Compression Fracture

Occurs when the load of vertebrae exceeds its capacity/stability

Intervertebral disk• composed of an outer fibrous part (anulus

fibrosus) that surrounds a central gelatinous mass (nucleus pulposus).

spinal disc herniation

• Commonly called slipped disk, heriated disk, ruptured disk

• a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion to be extruded to the outside of the disc.

Spondylolysis

• Spondylolysis: occurs when a vertebra slips over the one below it

• Caused by excessive or forceful extension of the Vetebral column.

• great majority of cases occur in the lowest of the lumbar vertebrae (L5)– spondylolysis may also occur in the other lumbar

vertebrae, as well as in the thoracic vertebrae.

Dislocation fractures• ligaments and/or discs

connecting two vertebrae together are stretched or torn, the bones may come out of alignment

• Example: rapid forward motion of the upper body against a seat belt pulls apart the vertebra and stretches the ligaments.

• can cause instability and spinal cord compression. They usually require stabilization surgery or a brace.

Kyphosis

• Exaggerated thoracic curve

• “hunch back”

Lordosis