What is the Spinal Column?
Your spine runs from the bottom of your head all the way down to your tailbone. The spine has two main jobs: provide support to your body and protect your spinal cord.
The spine is split into three sections: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. Your cervical spine (also known as the neck) has seven bones. The thoracic spine has twelve bones and the lumber spine has five bones. At the bottom of the spine is the sacrum, also know as the tailbone.
Building Blocks of the Spine
The spine is made up of two building blocks: bones and disks. These two alternate and stack on top of each other, sort of like Legos. The bones provide rigid support for the spine and protect the spinal cord. The disks act as shock absorbers, preventing the bones from grinding together. Additionally, the disks support movement, allowing the spine to bend back and forth.
Scoliosis
Protecting the Spinal Cord
In most people, the spine is straight, allowing for upright posture. However, some people have curved spines, also known as scoliosis. When the spine curves it can hurt the spinal cord, causing back pain. Scoliosis can be something that you are born with or it can develop over time as you age.
When younger people are diagnosed with scoliosis, they sometimes have to wear a back brace. This brace scraps around their mid-section and low back, preventing their spine from curving. In extreme cases, when scoliosis is causing pain or affecting a person’s life, surgery will be performed. During this surgery, screws and rods are placed into the spine to straighten and support it.
One of the main jobs of the spine is to protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is very important, as it communicates information from your brain to your body. Via nerves, which branch off of the spinal cord, you are able to feel and move your arms and legs.
The bones of the spinal column create a hollow space, called the spinal canal. The spinal cord lives in the spinal canal and travels from the top of the cervical spine down to the lumbar spine.