Overview

Your spine, also known as your backbone, is your body’s central support structure. The spine consists of:

• Vertebrae: 33 small stacked bones that form the spinal canal
• Intervertebral discs: flat, round cushions that are in between the vertebrae and act as the spine’s shock absorbers
• Spinal cord and nerves: column of nerves that is along the spinal canal, with pairs of nerve branches expanding out through the vertebral openings
• Facet joints: spinal joints with cartilage that allow your vertebrae to twist and turn, and function to provide flexibility and stability
• Soft tissues: these muscles, ligaments, and tendons help to hold the spine in position and aid movement.

There are three segments of the spine: the cervical spine, the lumbar spine, and the thoracic spine. Essential for body support and movement, keeping your spine healthy is very important for your overall health. The physicians at The Orthopaedic Institute offer innovative treatments for a broad range of traumatic and degenerative spine conditions, so that you may regain your quality of life.

• Anatomy of the Spine
• Where Lower Back Begins
• Spinal Stenosis
• Compression Fractures of the Spine
• Herniated Discs

• Osteoporosis
• Spinal Infection
• Vertebroplasty
• Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica)
• Degenerative Disc Disease