The vertebral column is made up of many vertebrae, some are fused together while some are separated by Discs. These discs are made of cartilage, and allow for flexibility and shock absorption.
The vertebrae column is divided into 5 sections.
The Cervical section is made up of 7 vertebrae.
Compared to every other vertebrae, they are the smallest un-fused vertebrae.
It supports the head and neck
The top vertebra (atlas) allows us to nod our head, while the second enables us to rotate our hear.
The Thoracic part consists of 12 vertebrae.
Attached to these are your ribs.
This part of the spine allows for bending forward, backwards and side to side
Lumbar region. This area is made up of 5 of the largest vertebrae in the spine.
This part allows for more flexibility in bending forward, backward and side to side.
The Sacrum is made up of 5 vertebrae, all of which are fused together. This makes a strong base and allows for transmission of force from the legs to the upper body.
Coccyx, is made up of 4 fused vertebrae. It has no real function or use.
