General information
The spinal column consists of a total of 24 vertebrae, to which the sacrum and coccyx are attached. The spinal column is divided into 7 cervical vertebrae (lordosis), 12 thoracic vertebrae (kyphosis) and 5 lumbar vertebrae (lordosis). The individual vertebrae are separated from each other by cartilaginous intervertebral discs.
This is intended to prevent the bony vertebral bodies from rubbing against each other during movement, which can lead to severe pain. The main task of the spinal column is to support the body skeleton. The upper and lower extremities are indirectly connected to the spinal column via ribs, shoulder blade and pelvis.
In humans, as upright mammals, the spine plays a very prominent role in the statics of the upright gait. To move the spine, strong muscles, the so-called autochthonous back muscles, are stretched along the sides of the vertebral bodies. In addition to static tasks, the spinal column also has the task of protecting the vital nerve cells (spinal cord) running in the spinal canal.
In addition to the static component, the spinal column is able to cushion shocks that pass through the body with every step through the interplay of muscles, vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs. An adult person of 70 kg must be able to absorb a very high force with every step. In order not to break any bones, the force is dissipated and cushioned by a sophisticated system via the pelvic bones and the spine.
Typical forms of the spine
In order to be able to fulfill all of the above-mentioned tasks, a very special form is physically required (lordosis in the area of the cervical and lumbar spine and kyphosis in the area of the thoracic spine), which is created from birth and then changes more or less in the course of life. The spine has two twists away from one and two towards one (when the observer looks at the back of another). Seen from the side, this corresponds approximately to the shape of a 2nd spinal column.
The sections of the spinal column moving away from the observer are called lordosis, the sections turning towards him are called kyphosis. The overall shape of the spinal column corresponds to a lordosis in the cervical region (cervical lordosis), a kyphosis in the thoracic region (thoracic kyphosis) and again a lordosis in the life vertebrae (lumbar lordosis). In the end, another small kyphosis, the so-called sacral kyphosis, follows. The kyphosis corresponds to a concave rotation, while the lordosis can also be described as a convex rotation.
