These objectives are meant to assist you in learning the anatomy of the back. It is assumed you are familiar with the anatomical components (i.e., bones, muscles, nerves, arteries, etc.).
- Recognize the boundaries of each of the triangles of the back and explain their clinical significance.
- Compare and contrast 'true' back muscles from the overlying superficial muscles.
- State the functions of each group of muscles, their nerve supply and blood supply.
- Summarize the suboccipital region and the relationship of the vertebral artery and greater occipital nerve.
- Recall the composition of the vertebral column.
- Describe the characteristics of each vertebra?
- Recognize the components of a typical vertebra.
- Explain the intervertebral disk? How is it formed?
- Define the individual ligaments associated with the vertebral column.
- Describe the joints and movements between adjacent vertebrae.
- Recognize primary and secondary curvatures? How are these related to the center of gravity of the body. What are common abnormalities?
- Describe the relationship of the atlas and axis to the skull.
- Relate somite formation to segmentation of sclerotomes, myotomes, dermatomes, and the terms
epimere and hypomere.
- Describe the anatomy of the spinal cord and its meninges.
- Explain the location, extent and contents of extradural, subdural and subarachnoid spaces.
- Compare and contrast a spinal nerve with a root and a ramus.
- Explain the composition of peripheral nerves.
- Describe the development of the vertebral column with respect to the spinal cord. What is the cauda equina?
- Summarize the basic procedure for a lumbar puncture including the spaces and layers penetrated by the needle during the procedure.
- Illustrate how damage to specific levels of the vertebral column relate to different levels of the spinal cord.
- Identify anatomic structures in radiographic studies including X-ray, CT scans and MRI films.