The human spine is a remarkable piece of engineering !!
Regions of the Spine : The spine consists of the 33 vertebra, classified into five groups: cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, sacrum, and coccyx.
Cervical region consists of seven vertebrae (C1 through C7)
Thoracic region consists of twelve vertebrae (T1 through T12)
Lumbar region consists of five vertebrae (L1 through L5).
Sacral region consists of five vertebrae, all fused together to form one continuous bone mass known as the sacrum.
Coccygeal region consists of four vertebrae, all fused together to form the coccyx or tailbone.
Normal Disc:
Cushions of the Spine – Intervertebral Discs: The uppermost 24 vertebrae are separated from one another by fibrous cartilage pads, called intervertebral discs often simply referred to as discs. These allow the spine to bend and act as shock absorbers during activity. The disc has a hard shell on the outside (annulus fibrosis) and a soft interior (nucleus pulposus) which has the consistency of shrimp meat. In the lowest part of the spine, the vertebrae are naturally fused to form the sacrum and the coccyx (tail bone). Normal discs are well-hydrated, intact, and properly aligned between the vertebrae.
