Page 76 - ASOP ROT Study Guide

13 . 2 Shape of the Spine
The spine is not a straight column. Rather it is a series of alternating curves. This is best seen
on the diagram below. We can identify four regions of the vertebral column:
♦ cervical
♦ dorsal (thoracic)
♦ lumbar
♦ sacrum and coccyx
Alterations in spinal curvature in any one region will have important effects on the mechanics of
the whole spine. An inward curvature of the spine is known lordosis. An outward curvature of
the spine is known as a kyphosis*

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13 . 3 Movement
The different regions of the spine have differing ranges of movement. The range of movement is
affected by the shape of the vertebrae and the orientation of the joints between individual vertebrae.
The spine as a whole is very mobile, particularly in flexion and rotation. This permits us to see all
around us, to bend over forwards and to bend from side to side. In order to make some sense of
this mobility it is important to describe movements in conventional anatomical planes. The list
below illustrates the regions of the spine where most of the movements described occur.
♦ Flexion - Anterior flexion - cervical and lumbar regions, Lateral flexion - cervical region
♦ Extension - cervical, thoracic (dorsal) and lumbar regions
♦ Rotation - predominantly in upper cervical region - some in the lumbar region

13 . 4 The Skull, the Ribs and the Limb Girdles
The vertebral column, the ribs, sternum and the skull are often known as the axial skeleton. The
limb girdles and the limbs are known as the appendicular skeleton.
From the diagram in Figure 39, it is easy to see that the ribs and the pelvis quite literally are
suspended from the central structure of the spine by means of joints stabilized by ligaments and
muscles.