Every time you lift your shopping bag, or stand up from your favorite chair, your back has to accomplish two important tasks support your body weight and give you a full range of movements. In addition, the spine is designed to protect the spinal cord, a gathering of nerves that coordinate the movements of our body.
What is the spine? The spine is a column of 24 small bones, called vertebrae, linked to each other through joints.
The spine is divided into three main sections:
Cervical (upper part) – composed of 7 vertebrae
Thoracic (mid part) – composed of 12 vertebrae
Lumbar (lower part) – composed of 5 vertebrae
Below the lumbar part of the spine, there are another nine vertebrae, mostly fused together. Five of them create the sacrum. The sacrum connects through the sacroiliac joints to the hips. The last four vertebrae fused together form the coccyx or tailbone.
Although we normally describe the spine as a straight line, it has a characteristic bend that looks like an “S”. This peculiar shape allows an equal distribution of weight. The curve of the cervical part is a lordotic curve (concave), the thoracic part has a kyphotic curve (convex) and the lumbar part turns back to a lordotic shape (concave).
The spine is a delicate structure composed of many different elements coordinated together and its balance and stability relies on:
These information are not meant to be substitute for the advice provided by a physician or other medical professional. You should always consult with a physician or medical professional to determine what instruction may be appropriate for you.
