Spine and Thorax
The Spine
The Spine supports all of the weight
of the upper body
The Spine or Vertebral Column
consists of 4 sections:
•The Cervical Curve
•The Thoracic Curve
•The Lumbar Curve
•The Sacrum and Coccyx
The Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar
are made up of 24 articulating
vertebrae
The Sacrum and Coccyx are made
up of 9 fused vertebrae
The Parts of the Spine
The Cervical Curve
The Cervical Curve
•The Cervical Curve consists of 7
vertebrae (C1-C7)
•The Cervical Curve is the superior
part of the spine
•This portion of the spine curves
anteriorly
The Parts of the Spine
The Thoracic Curve
The Thoracic Curve
•The Thoracic Curve consists of
12 vertebrae (T1-T12)
•This part of the spine articulates
with the ribs of the rib cage
•This portion of the spine curves
posteriorly
The Parts of the Spine
The Lumbar Curve
The Lumbar Curve
•The Lumbar Curve consists of 5
vertebrae (L1-L5)
•This portion of the spine curves
anteriorly
The Parts of the Spine
The Sacrum and Coccyx
The Sacrum
•5 fused vertebrae
The Coccyx
•4 fused vertebrae
The Thorax
The Thorax contains and
protects the principal organs
of respiration and circulation
The Thorax consists of:
•12 ribs on each side
•Costal Cartilage, and
•The Sternum
The Sternum and Costal Cartilage
The Sternum:
•The Sternum or
Breastbone is located
anteriorly to the Heart in
the center of the Thorax
•The Sternum connects to
the Rib Bones via Costal
Cartilage
Costal Cartilage:
•The bars of cartilage that
connect the Sternum to
the Rib Bones.
•They contribute to the
elasticity of the walls of
the Thorax.
Rib Bones 1-7 (True Ribs)
Ribs 1-7:
•These ribs are called
True Ribs
•True Ribs are Rib
Bones that connect
directly to the Sternum
through Costal
Cartilage
Rib Bones 8-12 (False Ribs)
Ribs 8-12:
•These ribs are called
False Ribs
•False Ribs do not
connect directly to the
Sternum
•Ribs 8-10 connect to
the Costal Cartilage of
the ribs just above
them
•Ribs 11 and 12 are
called Floating Ribs
and they do not
connect to anything
anteriorly