The vertebrae

treatments The vertebral column The vertebrae The intervertebral discs The muscular system The abdominal muscles The paravertebral muscles The Psoas muscle The gluteus The ischiotibial muscles

Vertebrae are the bones that form the spine. They are very resistant; one of these little bones can hold a 9-ton weight, which would destroy a cement piece of the same size.

An upper view of a vertebra shows the vertebral body, lateral protuberances (transverse processes) and a posterior protuberance (spinous process), united by a flat plate (lamina). The foramen in the middle is occupied by the spinal cord, named the vertebral canal.

The anterior part of a vertebra articulates with the one below by the intervertebral disc - and the posterior part, by the facet joint. The disc mitigates the pressure between the vertebral bodies; there is a cartilage in the facet joint for the same purpose. There are no nerves in the cartilage; the nerves are located within the bone below. This explains why there may be no pain with a certain degree of cartilage deterioration, provided the bone below is not affected. When this occurs, nerves are activated to produce pain.

From a lateral view, an intervertebral foramen results from the apposition of a superior and an inferior vertebral notch. Nerve roots leaving the medulla or spinal cord pass through this intervertebral foramen.