Anatomy of the Spine

Spine
The spine is literally the supporting structure of the body. It has changed little since we decided to stand on our own two feet. Your spine must allow significant motion during everyday activity such as bending, lifting, looking overhead or even simply shaking your head. When the spine is injured and its function impaired, the consequences can be painful and even disabling. Fortunately, Sugar Land
Orthopedic Institute works with patients and their families to improve the quality of life for patients with spinal disorders through innovative approaches to diagnosis, treatment, research, and patient education.

Sugar Land
Orthopedic Institute’s spine surgeons have extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of all adult and pediatric spinal disorders, including management of cervical, thoracic and lumbar disk herniations, spinal cord compression, spine instability, trauma, tumors, infections and scoliosis. By offering the very latest surgical and non-surgical treatment options for orthopedic injuries and disorders such as osteoporosis, Sugar Land
Orthopedic Institute has become one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive facilities of its kind.

Vertebrae in the Spinal Column
You may have heard your doctor using such terms as lumbar spine, or L5. These terms are easy and important to understand. The spinal column (fig. 1) consists of:

• seven cervical vertebrae (C1–C7) i.e. neck
• twelve thoracic vertebrae (T1–T12) i.e. upper back
• five lumbar vertebrae (L1–L5) i.e. lower back
• five bones (that are joined, or "fused," together in adults) to form the bony sacrum
• and three to five bones fused together to form the coccyx or tailbone