Each vertebra in your spine is separated and cushioned by an intervertebral disc, which keeps the bones from … See more

On the back of each vertebra are bony projections that form the vertebral arch. The arch is made of two supporting pedicles and two laminae (Fig. 5). The hollow spinal canal contains the spinal cord, fat, ligaments, … See more

The ligaments are strong fibrous bands that hold the vertebrae together, stabilize the spine, and protect the discs. The three major ligaments of the spine are the ligamentum flavum, anterior longitudinal ligament (A… See more

The spinal cord is about 18 inches long and is the thickness of your thumb. It runs from the brainstem to the 1st lumbar vertebra protected within the spinal canal. At the end of the spinal cord, the cord fibers separate into the cau… See more

The spinal cord is covered with the same three membranes as the brain, called meninges. The inner membrane is the pia mater, which is intimately attached to the cord. The next membrane is the arachnoid mater. The … See more