The spine is the basis of the human musculoskeletal system. The spine is S-shaped, which provides flexibility and resilience, and also relieves any shaking that occurs during running, normal walking and many other physical activities. The spinal column enables a person to walk straight, keep an even posture, maintaining balance in the body. And the thoracic vertebra is one of the main components of the spine.
How the spine works
The spine is made up of small bones called vertebrae. Their total number is 24 pieces, one after the other linked in a perpendicular position. The vertebrae are divided into different groups: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic and 5 lumbar. In the lower region of the spine, behind the lumbar region, there is a sacrum containing 5 vertebrae, connected into a single bone. Just below the sacral part iscoccyx, at the base of which fused vertebrae are also located.
Description
The trunk of a vertebra has a cylindrical shape and is considered the strongest place on which a significant support load falls. Behind the body there is a vertebral arch, which has the shape of a semicircle with processes extending from it. The vertebral arch, as well as its body, create the spinal passage. The total number of holes in all vertebrae, lying exactly on top of each other, forms the spinal canal. It is designed to contain blood vessels, spinal cord and nerve roots.
Nodules are still involved in the formation of the spinal canal, among which the most important are the ligaments: posterior longitudinal and yellow. The last lobar node tightens the torsos of the vertebrae from behind, and yellow connects their nearby folds. The vertebral arch has 7 processes, of which the lower and upper articular processes are involved in the production of facet joints, and the transverse and spinous branches hold ligaments and muscles.
The vertebrae of the thoracic spine are spongy bones, they have matter inside, covered externally with a hard cortical coating. The spongy substance has bony bars and moldable cavities that contain red bone marrow.
Intervertebral disc
Placed between two adjacent vertebrae and looks like a rounded, flat gasket. In the middle of the intervertebral disc there is a nucleus pulposus, which has good elasticity and performs the function of damping the vertical load. Covers this corea multilayer fibrous circle that fixes it in a central position, and also prevents the displacement of the vertebrae in a direction relative to each other. The fibrous circle consists of a considerable number of strong fibers and layers that intersect in three surfaces.
Facet joints
From the spinal plate are articular facets (branches), which are involved in the production of facet joints. The cervical and thoracic vertebrae are connected by two complex joints located on both walls of the arch symmetrically to the central line of the body. Intervertebral processes of adjacent vertebrae are directed towards each other. Their ends are covered with even articular cartilage, due to which friction between the bones that form the joint is reduced to a greater extent.
Foraminal holes
In the lateral parts of the spinal column there are foraminal gaps formed with the help of articular branches, bodies and legs of two nearby vertebrae. For these openings, there are places for the exit of veins from the spinal canal and nerve roots. Arteries, on the contrary, pass into the spinal duct, supplying blood to the nerve roots.
Paravertebral muscles
They are placed near the spine. Their main significance is the maintenance of the spine, and it is also possible to perform various body movements for a person using turns and tilts.
Thoracic vertebra: its functions
The value of the spinal column cannot be overestimated, because it performs some important functions:
- protective (preservation of the spinal cord);
- motor (movement of the head and torso);
- reference.
Cervical spine
There are 7 vertebrae in this area. A characteristic feature of this part is its mobility. The first vertebrae here are the axis and atlas, which differ from the others in their peculiar structure. In the anterior part of the axis there is a bone outgrowth called a tooth. Atlas does not provide for the existence of a vertebral body. The structure contains the presence of 2 arches, where the first is the front, and the second is the back. The side pole makes it possible to combine them with each other. Due to the small load, the cervical vertebrae are small.
The importance of the neck area for the human body
The cervical region contributes to the functioning of most parts of the body, which cannot be said about the human thoracic vertebrae. These include:
- facial nerves;
- eyes, nose and lips;
- elbows;
- thyroid gland;
- pituitary.
Diseases associated with disorders of the cervical vertebrae
The list of possible ailments is as follows:
- goiter, acute respiratory infections;
- sinusitis, eczema;
- pain in joints and shoulder muscles;
- laryngitis, tonsillitis;
- poor vision, hearing loss;
- headaches, runny nose, memory loss.
Factors of increased injury risk
The neck area is considered the most sensitive to all kinds of bruises compared to the dorsalridge. There are explanations for this:
- small value;
- muscular corset that is loose in the neck;
- small mechanical hardness of the vertebrae for this area.
Thoracic spine
Here there are 12 vertebrae with ribs attached to their bodies. The thorax is formed by the vertebrae and ribs, which are connected by the sternum. Only 10 pairs of ribs are attached to the bone itself, while others remain free.
If the tangible load on the spine increases, then the vertebral bodies also increase in size. There is also the existence of additional costal pits. Often in one vertebra there are two semi-fossae, one of which is upper, and the second is lower.
Thoracic vertebra: basic properties
A characteristic feature of the spine area is that it is inactive. The load on it is almost negligible. However, the thoracic region acts as the main support for the chest. Normally, this part of the back should be similar to the letter "C", while the roundness is directed back. The intervertebral discs present here are characterized by a small height. This is the reason for the decrease in the agility of such a place. In addition, the elongated and spinous processes of the spine contribute to the concentration of disc mobility. It has the shape of tiles.
Disorders of the chest area
This section has a spinal canal that is very narrow. The culprits of the emergencesqueezing the vertebrae can become a huge formation. These include:
- hernias;
- various tumors;
- osteophytes.
If there is a spinal injury
Fracture of the thoracic vertebrae is an injury that violates the anatomical integrity of the spine, accompanied by pain, focused on the injured area, and deformation of the spinal ridge in the area of injury. In addition, there is swelling of soft tissues and a disorder in the corresponding functioning of the pelvic organs and limbs. One such fracture may be a compression fracture.
What is this
Compression fracture of the thoracic vertebra means compressed. Therefore, such an injury is the result of compression of the spine, after which the vertebrae crack, solder and flatten. Most often, the middle and lower parts of the lower back, as well as the thoracic region, are affected.
If a person falls from a height or leans over sharply, the spinal column bends in an arc, which leads to a rapid reduction in muscle mass and significantly increases pressure on the anterior region of the spine.
But still, the middle zone of the thoracic section feels the greatest load. As a result of exceeding the measure of physiological elasticity of the spine, wedge-shaped compression appears, and as a result, a fracture of the thoracic vertebra.
Stages of spinal injury
Compression fracture can be divided into three degrees of complexity, determined by the size of the deformity of the vertebral body. If the spinal column is affected at the 1st stage, then the length of the body of its vertebra is reduced by 1/3, at the 2nd indicator - by 1/2, and already at the 3rd stage, the reduction is more than half.
Usually, category 1 injuries are considered permanent, while those of category 2 and 3 are considered unstable, which are characterized by pathological agility of the vertebrae. Damage can be either single or multiple. Most often they are in the area of the middle chest.
What are the causes of spinal fractures
Thoracic vertebrae have good hardness and can withstand significant mechanical stress. The destruction of their integrity occurs due to certain factors:
- heavy workload for young people;
- osteoporosis of bones (a reduction in bone density associated with a lack of calcium s alts in their structure);
- presence of tuberculosis or metastatic adenoma leading to disintegration of the vertebral body;
- calcium deficiency in the body (in children).
Typical features of a spinal fracture
There are individual indicators for thoracic compression injury:
- pain when loading the spine rod;
- breathing difficult while taking damage;
- minor soreness and tension of the back muscles in the fracture zone.
Injuries of the vertebrae are often the cause of radiating pain in the abdomen. Symptoms of paralysis and disorders of the he althy functioning of the pelvisare found quite rarely, only after the defeat of the chest region or if there is spondylolisthesis (displacement of the thoracic vertebrae).
In the case of a fracture of the cervical vertebrae, an extraordinary position of the head is observed, as well as localization of its inclinations, movements, tension of the cervical muscles. Approximately every third compression injury of the spine is accompanied by excitation of the nerve roots of the spinal cord and its integument.
That's why you need to protect your spine from all kinds of fractures and sudden movements so as not to injure the thoracic vertebra.
