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The vertebral column (medicinal: columna vertebralis) describes the movable axle skeleton of the body. The vertebral column supports the body and, thus, is the constructional element of all vertebrae which carries their trunk and the upper limbs. Moreover it distinguishes itself by its extensive moving possibilities. A so-called physiological S-bend can be found.
The vertebral column consists of the vertebrae, the intervertebral discs and supporting ligaments whose function it is to connect and stabilise the structures of the vertebral column. The human vertebral column consists of 33 – 34 vertebral bodies that are differentiated according to their functions.
Thus we differentiate between 7 cervical vertebrae of the so-called cervical vertebral column, 12 thoracic vertebrae of the so-called thoracic vertebral column, 5 lumbar vertebrae of the lumbar vertebral column, 5 sacrum and coccyx vertebrae. The two last mentioned types of vertebrae merge into the sacrum-coccyx at the age of 20 to 25 years.
The vertebral column forms the so-called vertebral channel which contains the spinal marrow or cord.
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