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curvatures of vertebral column (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral)
Vertebral column in adult has 4 curvatures:
1) cervical
2) thoracic
3) lumbar
4) sacral
Primary curvatures (thoracic & sacral):
Caused by differences in height between the anterior & posterior parts of the vertebra; retained in the thoracic & sacral regions as the thoracic & sacral kyphosis.
- develop during the fetal period
Thoracic curvature:
- concave anteriorly
- results from the slightly wedge-shaped thoracic vertebral bodies
Sacrococcygeal (pelvic) curvature:
- concave anteriorly
- spans from the lumbosacral joint to the tip of the coccyx
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Secondary curvatures (cervical & lumbar):-
Caused by differences in thickness between the anterior & posterior parts of the IV discs; retained in the cervical & lumbar regions as the cervical & lumbar lordosis.
- develop postnatally in the cervical & lumbar region
Cervical curvature:
- concave posteriorly
- prominent when an infant begins to hold its head erect
Lumbar curvature:
- concave posteriorly
- becomes obvious when an infant begins to walk & assumes the upright posture
- more pronounced in females
- ends at the lumbosacral angle
Function:
- the curvatures provide flexible support (shock-absorbing resilience) for the body.
General
vertebral column
References
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999.
- Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 4th edition, KL Moore &
AF Dalley (eds), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia,
PA 1999.
Images
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