B. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF SPINE

The spine or back bone is known medically as the Vertebral column. Its role is to support the whole body, be capable of bending and twisting in all directions, and at the same time protect the vital structures, such as nerves, that run through it. What is more? it has to last a lifetime. No engineering structure comes anywhere near meeting the exact specifications of the spine and it is not a suprise that problems can arise from time to time. Rather it is a surprise as to how so many of us are normal.

The Spinal Column

The human spine has a double S shape and consists of a column of 33 bony blocks known as vertebrae, which sit one on top of another to form the vertebral column. The spine can be divided into five regions:
i. The Cervical spine consisting of seven upper vertebrae, which support the head and allow the neck to move in all directions.

ii. The thoracic part consists of 12 vertebrae, each of them attached to two ribs, forming a rib cage to protect the vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Because the ribs in turn are connected to the sternum or breastbone, which is relatively rigid, these vertebrae are quite stable and not very mobile.