Anatomy of the vertebrae

We say: a vertebra is a bone with a hole in the middle through which the spinal cord passes. The vertebra has four processes: on the right, on the left and on both sides of the foramen. The upper ones are called “upward directed”, the lower ones are called “downward directed” and “inverted”. Sometimes there are six processes: four on one side and two on the other, and sometimes there are eight. The usefulness of these processes is that the connection between them is arranged in the form of ligaments with articulation, so that some vertebrae have pits, while others have projecting heads. The processes of the spines exist not for the sake of utility, but for protection and protection, as well as to resist blows, and because ligaments are intertwined on them. These are wide, hard bones placed along the vertebrae. Those that are at the back are called "needles" and "spikes", and those that lie on the right and left are called "wings". They protect the nerves, blood vessels and muscles that lie deeper and along the body. Some “wings,” namely those that are adjacent to the ribs, have a special utility: they have holes created in them to hold the convex ends of the ribs inserted there. Each of these wings has two pits, and each rib has two convex processes. There are wings that have two ends, so they look like a double wing. This happens in the cervical vertebrae, and we will also tell you why this is useful.

In addition to the hole in the middle, the vertebrae have other holes for the reason that nerves come out of them and blood vessels enter them. Some of these holes are located entirely in the body of one vertebra, while others are located in two vertebrae at once. The location where the foramina are located constitutes the common boundary of these vertebrae. The holes are either on both sides - at the top and bottom, or on one side. Sometimes in each vertebra the hole forms a whole semicircle, and sometimes in one vertebra the hole is larger than a semicircle, and in the other it is smaller. These pits are placed on the sides of the vertebra, and not at the back, because there is no protection there for what enters and exits through the vertebra, and the vertebra is subject to impacts; the processes are not placed in front, for otherwise they would end up in those places where the body bends due to its natural gravity, as well as as a result of voluntary movements; they would weaken the vertebra, and the vertebra could not be firmly connected and connected to the spinal column. By bending over the place where the nerves emerge, the processes would compress and weaken them. The processes that serve for protection are surrounded by ligaments and tendons; they are smooth and soft so that the meat does not suffer from contact with them.

The articulating processes are also arranged in the same way. They are firmly connected to each other by ligaments and tendons on all sides, however, the connection in front is tighter, and in the back - more flexible, since the need to bend and bend forward is stronger than the need to arch and lean back. Since the posterior ligaments are weak, the space formed there, albeit small, is filled with viscous moisture.

On the one hand, the vertebrae of the spine, being extremely firmly connected to each other, form, as it were, one bone, created for stability and immobility; on the other hand, being pliable, they are like many bones created for the sake of movement.