Curves of the spine

The spine is arranged into three curves Cervical Thoracic and Lumbar Spine. The curve can be in the lower part of the spine a lumbar curve in the upper part of the spine a thoracic curve or go from the upper to lower part of the spine a thoracolumbar curve.

It connects different parts of your musculoskeletal system.

Curves of the spine. The spine is arranged into three curves Cervical Thoracic and Lumbar Spine. Each section is made up of a group of bones stacked on top of each other. In between these bones is a soft cushion called disc to help absorb shock or weight of the body.

Curves are a normal part of the spines structure. Looking at the spine from the side lateral several curves can be seen Figure 1-A. From this angle the spine almost resembles a soft S shape.

When viewing the spinal column from the rear posterior the spine appears vertically straight – from the neck to the tailbone Figure 1-B. What Are the Four Normal Curves of the Spine. The four natural curves of the spine are the Thoracic Kyphosis Cervical Lordosis Lumbar Lordosis and Sacral Kyphosis.

The four spinal curves work together to allow mobility and support. Scoliosis is one form of lateral curvature of the spine where it curves to form a C or S shape. Scoliosis usually appears in late childhood or early adolescence when physical growth accelerates.

Structural scoliosis is a fixed curve of the spine and may be caused by disease injury or infection. Some people are also born with structural scoliosis. Curves of the Spine.

The cervical spine curves slightly inward sometimes described as a backward C-shape or lordotic curve. The thoracic spine curves outward forming a regular C-shape with the opening at the frontor a kyphotic curve. The lumbar spine curves inward and like the cervical spine has a lordotic or backward C-shape.

The spine has three normal curves. Cervical thoracic and lumbar. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the neck 12 thoracic vertebrae in the torso and five lumbar vertebrae in the lower back.

What is the spine. Your spine or backbone is your bodys central support structure. It connects different parts of your musculoskeletal system.

Your spine helps you sit stand walk twist and bend. There are three main types of spine curvature disorders including. Also called swayback the spine of a person with lordosis curves significantly inward at the lower back.

The cervical vertebrae gently curve inward while the thoracic spine curves gently outward followed by the lumbar spine which curves inward again. This structure gives the spinal column great strength and shock-absorbing qualities. The end vertebrae of a spinal curve may be identical with the neutral vertebrae.

The neutral vertebra is defined as the vertebral body between two curves that is the least rotated and has parallel endplates. Often the neutral vertebrae are located one or two vertebrae farther away from the apical vertebra than the end vertebrae. Your spine is made up of three segments.

When viewed from the side these segments form three natural curves. The c-shaped curves of the neck cervical spine and lower back lumbar spine are called lordosis. The reverse c-shaped curve of the chest thoracic spine is called kyphosis.

Citation needed The curves allow the human spine to better stabilize the body in the upright position. Citation needed The upper cervical spine has a curve convex forward that begins at the axis second cervical vertebra at the apex of the odontoid process or dens and ends at the middle of the second thoracic vertebra. It is the least marked of all the curves.

An increased curve in the lower or lumbar spine is called an Increased Lordotic curve or hollow spine and is commonly seen in overweight people in pregnancy in patients with weak abdominal muscles or with a spasm in the lower back muscles. The Lumbar spine has a normal lordotic curve between 30 and 50. Normal Abnormal Lordosis.

The spines normal curves are referred to as lordosis and kyphosis. Healthy spinal curvatures either curve inward towards the bodys center or. The normal spine has an S-shaped curve when viewed from the side.

This shape allows for an even distribution of weight and flexibility of movement and is supported by good posture. The spine curves in the following ways. The neck or cervical spine curves slightly inward and this is what we call a.

A healthy spine has a natural S shape consisting of three natural curves. The curves of the spine work almost like a coiled spring compressing to absorb shock while still allowing a full range of motion throughout the spinal column. Scoliosis Spine Where Does My Spine Curve.

The abnormal sideways spinal curvature is called scoliosis. Curves can develop anywhere along the spine from the. A healthy spine maintains all of these curves.

Try this quick test to check in with the natural curves of your spine. Note that this is an exercise for awareness not to diagnose an abnormal curve of the spine. Lie on your back on a relatively hard surface not something soft such as a bed.

Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground. Curves of the spine similar to the symbol or English letters S. Protruding forward curve called a lordosis and back kyphosis.

Such a structure is observed in an adult but infants are still lacking lordosis and kyphosis and the spine looks at this somewhat differently. Curves in different spinal areas have different direction. A normal spine has a slight and gentle curve to it.

Viewed from behind the spine should look like it runs straight down the middle of your back. If you have a spine curvature disorder the normal curves of the spine are much greater than they are supposed to be. The most common spine disorders are scoliosis kyphosis and lordosis.

The curve can be in the lower part of the spine a lumbar curve in the upper part of the spine a thoracic curve or go from the upper to lower part of the spine a thoracolumbar curve. In some cases there is a double curve - like an S shape. The backbone or spine is composed of the vertebrae with the small bones piled on top of one another.

A normal spine has slight curves to it when contemplated from the side. The curves basically support the backbone and sucks up the stress due to gravity and the movement of the body.