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Your Vertebrae, The Greek Titan

Greek mythology is a popular topic of interest for many around the world. Only true experts will know that the human body has an interesting relation to the mythological being named Atlas. This Greek Titan was famously turned to stone and banished by Zeus. After losing a pivotal battle, Atlas was forced to bear the weight of the Earth and Heavens on his back and shoulders. For mortal humans, the first vertebra under the skull is called Atlas, in reference and acknowledgment of the Titan. This body part received its title due to the cervical vertebrae’s job of carrying the total weight of the head.

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 Understanding Your Neck: Vertebrae Explained

Imagine how graceful a swan’s neck is. It is both flexible and strong. We have something similar in our necks: the cervical spine. This important part of the entire spine supports our head and lets us move our necks freely. The cervical spine also keeps the spinal cord safe. It is made up of many bones, nerves, and muscles that are vital for our everyday activities.

 What exactly does the Cervical Spine do?

The Cervical spine protects the Cervical Spinal cord while moving, rotating, twisting, and bending in multiple directions and planes. Each vertebra has a specific function. The lower five vertebrae – C3 through C7, can flex, extend, rotate, and bend side-to-side, limited by the disc in front, two facet joints in the back, and by the various ligaments present in and around the spine.

Articles of Interest

What is the cervical spine?

The cervical spine, or the part of the spine from your head to the base of your neck, is made up of seven bones that stack on each other, called vertebrae. The first two vertebrae of the cervical spine are unique in shape and function. The first vertebra, the atlas (C1), is a ring-shaped bone that begins at the base of your skull. This bone holds your head upright. The second vertebra, the axis (C2), allows the atlas to pivot against it for the side-to-side “no” rotation of your head.

A Healthy Neck Should Disappear: a Phenomenological Anatomy of ‘Body-With-Neck-in-the-World’ to Inform Clinical Research and Practice

The neck, skeletally delimited as the region comprising the 7 cervical vertebrae, is a critical structure for human survival. More than a stack of bones, the neck collectively contains and protects several structures necessary for life and is the primary conduit through which oxygen and nutrients enter (and leave) the body. As the bridge between the cranial structures and the rest of the body, the nuances of neck motion and stability have been subject to centuries worth of anatomical dissection and biomechanical exploration. Second only to low back pain amongst musculoskeletal conditions, neck pain represents the 6th highest burden of years lived with disability globally.

Cervical Spine Basics

The cervical spine is made up of vertebral bodies that are numbered (from C1 to C7) and are separated by a disc (soft cushion-like material). The spinal cord travels within the canal behind the vertebral bodies and is bordered by other bones (lamina and spinous process). The spinal cord is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). At each level of the cervical spine, individual nerves responsible for movement and sensation exit through an opening (foramen) and go to right/left arm. There are also ligaments, joints and bones at each level of the spinal canal As we age, the spine begins to degenerate, which can lead to conditions such as spondylosis, bone spurs, and disc degeneration:

Functional Anatomy of the Cervical Spine

The cervical spine supports the weight of the head and enables head and neck movement. Intervertebral discs maintain the spaces between the vertebrae. These discs act like shock absorbers throughout the spinal column to cushion the bones as the body moves. Ligaments hold the vertebrae in place, and tendons attach the muscles to the spinal column.

Here’s What Happens to Your Spine When You’re Constantly Texting

Looking down at your phone can add up to 60 pounds of pressure on your spine, depending on the angle. That’s according to a new study from spinal surgeon Dr. Kenneth Hansraj and published in Surgical Technology International.

How to Avoid Tech Neck in the Age of Zoom

In our modern world, tech neck was already a burgeoning phenomenon—but in the age of increased working from home, with many of us still holding meetings virtually, it's taken on a new life.

Know Your Neck: The Cervical Spine

For the neck to function normally, it has to be flexible enough to move without discomfort. A healthy neck can move easily in six different directions.

Normal anatomy of the Cervical spine, cervical vertebrae, spinal cord, ligaments and joints

This module of human anatomy is useful for residents and students who wish to learn the basics of the anatomy of the cervical spine in MRI on a 1.5 Tesla device. It was created from sagittal T1-weighted sequences and T2 reconstructions on the three reference planes (sagittal, coronal and axial) with 1mm slices.

Ouch, I've got a crick! Neck pain 101

Have you ever woken up with a crick in your neck after a bad night's sleep? Or feel like you can't rotate your head? Many people will experience neck pain at some point in life. Luckily, there are science-backed treatments and exercises to ease those nagging aches.

The Cervical Curve

The cervical spine supports the weight of the head, which weighs between 10-14 pounds — about the same as a bowling ball. With proper posture, the weight of the head is held directly above the center of gravity. In a forward head position, the head is held ahead of the center of gravity and results in a stress load on the cervical spine that is equivalent to the weight of the head multiplied by the number of inches the head is forward from the center.

What's the source of your headaches? It could be your neck.

New research links neck pain and inflammation with migraine and tension-type headaches. Treating neck pain may be key to relieving both conditions.

Resources

Kenhub

The cervical portion of the spine is an important one anatomically and clinically. It is within this region that the nerves to the arms arise via the brachial plexus, and where the cervical plexus forms providing innervation to the diaphragm among other structures. The cervical spine also allows passage of important vasculature to reach the brain and provides attachment sites for muscles that move the head, neck, and shoulder girdle.

StatPearls

The human vertebral column or spine has five distinct anatomical regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. However, the cervical spine is a potential area of importance due to its proximity to the head, containment of the upper spinal cord, and vertebral arteries that contribute to the posterior circulation of the brain. Seven cervical vertebrae, combined with cartilages, various ligaments, and muscles, make a sophisticated and flexible structure that allows a variety of head/neck movements. Similar to other areas of the spine, cervical vertebrae also have intervening intervertebral disks for shock absorption and flexibility.

TeachMe Anatomy

The cervical spine is the most superior portion of the vertebral column, lying between the cranium and the thoracic vertebrae. It consists of seven distinct vertebrae, two of which are given unique names: The first cervical vertebrae (C1) is known as the atlas. The second cervical vertebrae (C2) is known as the axis.