Hi everyone - Dr. Lucy here!
Today we're going to be doing some spinal anatomy. So the first thing you should know about your spine is that it is made up of 24 segments called vertebrae. You have seven segments in your cervical spine. That's your neck. You have 12 segments in your thoracic spine. That's your mid-back. And you have five segments in your lumbar spine. That's your low back. In between each of these segments is what's called a disc. These discs help your spine to absorb shock as you move about throughout your day.
Another feature of your spine that helps it to absorb shock are the curves. So if we take a look at your spine from the back, we don't want to see any curves. But when we look from the side, we want to see a nice C-shaped curve in your neck, a nice arched curve in your mid-back, and then another C-shaped curve in your low back. A fun fact about those C-shaped curves in your neck and your low back is that you're actually not born with those, you develop those as you practice tummy time as a baby. Another cool thing about your spine is that it contains your spinal cord. Your spinal cord is how your brain communicates with the rest of your body. And it uses these little nerves, that exit at each level of the spine.
Be Well
-Dr. Lucy
Contact our office if you have any questions!