Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

The vertebral column or spine is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and allows for their movements. It also protects the spinal cord.
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Has Higher Rates of Revision, But Lower Rates of Adjacent Segment Disease, Compared to ACDF.

Spine·2026

Same author

Fixed-Angle Static Versus Variable-Angle Dynamic Plates for Multilevel Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

Clinical spine surgery·2026

Same author

Cost and Utilization Trends of Lumbar Fusion.

JAMA network open·2026

Same author

Comparing Complications and Costs of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion in the Inpatient, Outpatient, and ASC Settings in the Medicare Population.

Spine·2025

Same author

The sodium-glutamate antagonist riluzole improves outcome after acute spinal cord injury: results from the RISCIS randomised controlled trial analysed using a global statistical analytic technique.

EBioMedicine·2025

Same author

Narrative Review of Perioperative Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists in Spine Surgery.

Clinical spine surgery·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device

Published on: November 8, 2024

Treating the Aging Spine.

Theodore J Choma¹, Glenn Rechtine, Robert A McGuire

¹Professor and Vice Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.

Instructional Course Lectures

|April 7, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Caring for older patients with spine conditions requires recognizing unique challenges like osteoporosis and degenerative deformities. Treatment involves optimizing bone health and surgical techniques for better spinal fixation and deformity correction.

More Related Videos

Modified Posterior Vertebral Column Resection for Patients with Thoracolumbar Kyphotic Deformity

Modified Posterior Vertebral Column Resection for Patients with Thoracolumbar Kyphotic Deformity

Published on: September 16, 2022

Treating Low Back Pain in Failed Back Surgery Patients with Multicolumn-lead Spinal Cord Stimulation

Treating Low Back Pain in Failed Back Surgery Patients with Multicolumn-lead Spinal Cord Stimulation

Published on: June 26, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device

Published on: November 8, 2024

Modified Posterior Vertebral Column Resection for Patients with Thoracolumbar Kyphotic Deformity

Modified Posterior Vertebral Column Resection for Patients with Thoracolumbar Kyphotic Deformity

Published on: September 16, 2022

Treating Low Back Pain in Failed Back Surgery Patients with Multicolumn-lead Spinal Cord Stimulation

Treating Low Back Pain in Failed Back Surgery Patients with Multicolumn-lead Spinal Cord Stimulation

Published on: June 26, 2018

Area of Science:

Orthopaedic Surgery
Geriatric Medicine
Spine Pathology

Background:

Demographic shifts necessitate specialized care for elderly patients with spinal conditions.
Older adults present unique pathologies including osteoporosis and degenerative deformities.
Effective management requires addressing age-related bone health and biomechanical changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To outline the challenges and current management strategies for spine pathology in geriatric patients.
To review medical and surgical options for optimizing bone health and spinal fixation in the elderly.
To discuss approaches to degenerative spinal deformities, emphasizing sagittal balance.

Main Methods:

Review of current literature on geriatric spine care, osteoporosis management, and degenerative deformity treatment.
Analysis of treatment options including medical optimization (e.g., vitamin D, bisphosphonates, teriparatide) and surgical techniques.
Consideration of specific conditions like odontoid fractures and degenerative deformities in the elderly.

Main Results:

Medical optimization of bone health is crucial, with options like vitamin D, calcium, diphosphonates, and teriparatide.
Cement augmentation of pedicle screws shows promise for improving spinal fixation in osteoporotic elderly patients.
Management of geriatric odontoid fractures varies by patient demand (conservative vs. surgical).
Degenerative deformity management requires attention to sagittal plane balance and may involve osteotomies.

Conclusions:

Orthopaedic spine surgeons must adapt their approach to the unique needs of older patients.
Optimizing bone health and employing advanced surgical techniques are key to successful outcomes in geriatric spinal care.
Tailored management strategies are essential for conditions ranging from fractures to degenerative deformities in the elderly.