How does your spine function?
There are 24 vertebrae in the spine and 3 main segments. 7 cervical (neck), 12 Thoracic (mid back), and 5 Lumbar (low back). Each region has unique characteristics but they all have something in common. They are freely movable joints which means they have full range of motion upon each other. Each bone can flex (bend forward), extend (Bend backwards), Lateral flex (lean side to side), and rotate (twist side to side).
It’s amazing to think that these small bones are holding us upright when they are able to move so freely. How can they move like that yet support a human frame? When we look closely at the spine we can see that there are many supportive structures surrounding it. There are many ligaments, which are strong cable like connective tissue, holding bones to other bones. They appear as white strands running from all different parts of the vertebrae. There are 5 layers of muscle on top of the spine and they connect to the vertebrae with tendons. These muscles are very unique and they give the spine the ability to move in all the different directions. The middle of the back gets its support from ribs that wrap around and form joints with the vertebrae.
Probably the most incredible part of the spine is that it houses the most important nerve pathway in the body, the spinal cord. Yes it’s true, unbelievably the spinal cord runs down the spine from your neck into your lumbar spine. The spinal cord is a direct extension of the brain and allows transmission of all your vital information to run the entire body. Coming off the spinal cord are spinal nerve roots. These nerve roots exit the spinal cord between the vertebrae going to the right and left sides. This is how the brain communicates to every tissue, cell and organ in the body.
So you can see how the spine is not only a freely movable structure, but it also protects the vital nerve pathway known as the spinal cord. Keeping the spine in proper alignment is vital as it is shown that misaligned spinal bones can cause pressure on the sensitive nerve roots exiting the spine and interferes with the transmission of information from the brain.
