6 The Back

Chapter 6. THE BACK AND SPINAL CORD

Information about the Back and Spinal Cord may be found in the Online Back tutorial, on TUSK. This tutorial was created by Dr El-Bermani and Dr. Rahul Kakkar M’02 and covers the osteology, muscles and joints of the Back, as well as the spinal cord in great detail. You should familiarize yourself with the basic anatomy of the Back, with the following objectives in mind:

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and give the function of the significant parts of a typical vertebra and associated ligaments.
2. Describe the spine, its curvatures and vertebral column movements
3. Identify the coverings and the supporting structures of the spinal cord. Give the point of the termination of the spinal cord and the dural sac. Be able to identify bony landmarks that can be used to safely perform a lumbar puncture
4. Describe the location and function of the basic somatic motor and sensory neurons on a cross section of the spinal cord.
5. Describe a typical spinal nerve, the somatic motor and sensory components found in any portion, and their distribution
6. Explain the difference between superficial and deep (true) back muscles and give the function of each.

Reference: Moore, Clinically oriented Anatomy Chapter 4.

Particularly relevant Blue Boxes in Moore:

●Caudal Epidural Anesthesia p. 461

●Herniation of the Nucleus Pulposus pp. 474-476

●Back Pain p. 480

●Abnormal Curvatures of the Vertebral Column pp 480-482.

●Compression of Lumbar Spinal Nerve Roots p. 505

●Lumbar Spinal Puncture pp. 505-506

To access the Netter Presenter Database click here

Grant’s Dissector, 15th Edition, pp 5 – 19

To access Gray’s Photographic Dissector section on the Superficial Back click here

To access Gray;s Photographic Dissector section on the Spinal Cord click here

To access the Primal Pictures software click here 

Check out the Primal Pictures model of the Spine

The Back and Spinal Cord Quiz click here

The Back Structure List-

Osteology                                                       Muscles of the Back

Vertebral body                                                 serratus posterior superior

Vertebral arch                                                  serratus posterior inferior

Transverse process                                           erector spinae (iliocostalis, longissimus, spinalis)

Lamina                                                             transversospinalis (semispinalis, multifidius)

Spinal process                                                  levator costarum

Intervetebral notch                                              (Superficial muscles – trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids will be tested on Upper Limb Exam

Spinal canal

Spinal Cord                                                     Joints of the Back

Dorsal, ventral roots                                         intervetebral disk

Spinal nerve                                                        nucleus pulposus

Dorsal, ventral primary rami                          annulus fibrosus

Dorsal root ganglia                                            anterior longitudinal ligament

Meninges – dura, arachnoid, pia                   posterior longitudinal ligament

Epidural space                                                   ligamentum flava

Subdural space                                                  interspinous ligament

Subarachnoid space                                         supraspinous ligament

Cauda equina                                                     interspinous ligament

Cauda medullaris

Filum terminale

Lumbar cistern

Anterior, posterior spinal arteries