Anatomy: Facet Joints in the Spine

The intervertebral disc is like a squishy ________

The tough outer part of the intervertebral disc is like the strong crust of a ________

The soft inner part of the intervertebral disc helps absorb shock and allows the spine to move without ________

The intervertebral disc is like a squishy cushion between the ________ of the spine

The interspinous ligament is like a special ________ that connects the back part of each block

The interspinous ligament helps keep the blocks in place and prevents them from moving ________

The facet joints are like special hinges on the back of each block in your ______.

Bursitis can make your joints hurt and feel ______.

Hypertonic muscle tone is when your muscles are too ______.

Hypotonic muscle tone is when your muscles are too ______.

When a muscle lengthens, it means it is getting ______.

Myotomes are like the messengers that carry orders from the boss to your ______.

Dermatomes send information from your skin back to the ______.

Myotomes help your brain control your ______.

Dermatomes help your brain feel things on your ______.

Deep Tendon Reflex is like playing with a ______ robot.

The interspinous ligament is like a strong ______ that holds the blocks of your spine together

The facet joints are like hinges that allow your spine to ______ and turn

The posterior facet joint capsules are like strong rubber bands that hold the doors of your spine in ______

The trachea is like a long tube or pipe that connects your nose and mouth to your ______

The trachea is made up of rings of ______, which help keep it open

The trachea is located right in the middle of your chest, behind your ______

The carotid artery is like a super important highway that carries blood to your ______

The carotid artery is located in your neck, on both ______

The carotid artery brings oxygen and nutrients to your ______, which helps it function properly

The esophagus is like a tube that carries food from your mouth to your ______

The esophagus is like a long, stretchy pipe that connects your ______ to your stomach.

The esophagus then squeezes the food down to your ______, kind of like how you slide down a slide at the playground.

The esophagus is really cool because it has special ______ that help push the food down.

The anterior longitudinal ligament is like a strong ______ that runs down the front of your spine.

The ligament is really important because it helps protect your spine and keeps it ______.

The vertebral arteries are like two little rivers that start at the back of your neck and go all the way up to your ______.

Oxygen is like the fuel that helps your brain think and work ______.

Sometimes, things can happen that make the vertebral arteries not work ______.

The blood in the vertebral arteries is very important because it brings oxygen and nutrients to your ______.

The facet joints are like little hinges that help your spine move and ______.

Your shoulders and hips have ______ joints, allowing you to swing your arms and legs in many directions.

Your neck has ______ joints, letting you turn your head from side to side.

Your thumbs have ______ joints, allowing them to oppose your fingers which makes grabbing things possible.

Your wrists and ankles have ______ joints, allowing the small bones to slide over each other and give you more flexibility.

Your wrists also have ______ joints, allowing movement in all directions except rotation.

Crepitus is a sensation or noise when you move a joint. The noise could be muffled or heard by others, such as clicking, cracking, creaking, crunching, grating or ______.

When a doctor taps your knee with a small hammer, it's like pressing a ______.

Your spinal cord, which is like the robot's control center, quickly sends a message back to your ______ muscles to contract.

Deep tendon reflexes help doctors check if your nerves and spinal cord are working ______.

A muscle with hypermobility can move or stretch more than it should, just like a super stretchy ______.

A muscle with hypomobility doesn't move or stretch as much as it normally should, like the less stretchy ______.

Ankylosing spondylitis, often just called AS, is a type of ______.

Over time, the body tries to heal itself in AS by creating new ______.

Spondylitis causes inflammation and pain in the ______.

Spondylosis is a term used to describe age-related wear and tear to the spinal ______.

Hinge joints, like the elbows and knees, allow you to bend and straighten your arms and ______.

The intervertebral disc is like a squishy cushion between the ______ of your spine

The interspinous ligament is like a special ______ that connects the back part of each block

The interspinous ligament is like a strong ______ that holds the blocks of your spine together

The ligament is really important because it helps protect your spine and keeps it ______

The interspinous ligament helps keep the blocks in place and prevents them from moving ______

Oxygen is like the fuel that helps your brain think and work ______

The anterior longitudinal ligament is like a strong ______ that runs down the front of your spine.

The vertebral arteries are like special roads that bring blood to your ______.

The facet joints are like hinges that allow your spine to move and ______.

The esophagus is like a tube that carries food from your mouth to your ______.

The ligament is really important because it helps protect your spine and keeps it ______.

The esophagus then squeezes the food down to your ______, kind of like how you slide down a slide at the playground.

The intervertebral disc is like a squishy ______.

The blood in the vertebral arteries is very important because it brings oxygen and nutrients to your ______.

The facet joints are like little hinges that help your spine move and ______.

The esophagus is like a tube that carries food from your mouth to your ______.

The cushions between bones are called 'bursae' and can get swollen, causing a condition known as ______

When a muscle lengthens, it means it is getting ______

Myotomes carry messages from the brain to the ______

Hypertonic muscle tone is when your muscles are too ______

Dermatomes send information from your skin back to the ______

The interspinous ligament is like a strong rope that holds the blocks of your spine together and keeps them safe. It's an important part of your body that helps you stay strong and ______!

The posterior facet joint capsules are like strong rubber bands that hold the doors of your spine in place. They help your spine move and bend without any problems. They are an important part of your body that keeps your spine strong and ______!

The soft inner part of the intervertebral disc helps absorb shock and allows the spine to move without ______

Myotomes help your brain control your ______

The trachea is like a special hallway in your body that helps air get to your lungs. It's an important part of your respiratory system that helps you breathe and stay ______!

Hypotonic muscle tone is when your muscles are too ______

The carotid artery is like a special highway that carries blood to your ______. It's an important part of your body that helps your ______ stay healthy and do all the incredible things it does!

The esophagus is like a tube that carries food from your mouth to your ______

Deep Tendon Reflex helps doctors check if your nerves and spinal cord are working ______

The trachea is made up of rings of ______, which help keep it open

The facet joints are like special hinges on the back of each block in your ______

The carotid artery brings oxygen and nutrients to your _______, which helps it function properly

The interspinous ligament is like a special ________ that connects the back part of each block

The interspinous ligament helps keep the blocks in place and prevents them from moving ________

The ligament is really important because it helps protect your spine and keeps it ______.

Your thumbs have ______ joints, allowing them to oppose your fingers which makes grabbing things possible.

Your neck has ______ joints, letting you turn your head from side to side.

Your wrists and ankles have ______ joints, allowing the small bones to slide over each other and give you more flexibility.

Your wrists also have ______ joints, allowing movement in all directions except rotation.

Your shoulders and hips have ______ joints, allowing you to swing your arms and legs in many directions.

Each joint has its own special 'moves' that help our body bend, twist, reach, grab, dance, run, and so much more! Crepitus is a sensation or noise when you move a joint. You may experience it as clicking, cracking, creaking, crunching, grating or popping. The noise could be muffled or heard by others. This is a description of the various types of ______.

Deep tendon reflexes help doctors check if your nerves and spinal cord are working properly. It's like making sure the robot's wiring and control center are in good ______.

Hypermobility is when a muscle can move or stretch more than it should normally. Just like how the stretchy rubber band might snap if you pull it too far, a hypermobile muscle might get injured if it stretches too ______.

Ankylosing spondylitis, often just called AS, is a type of ______.

Spondylosis is a term used to describe age-related wear and tear to the spinal ______.

Hypomobility means a muscle doesn't move or stretch as much as it normally should. It's like when you're trying to reach for a toy on a high shelf but your arm just isn't ______ enough.

The body in Ankylosing spondylitis creates extra bone that can make the 'blocks' in your spine stick together, making it hard to move, like if your Lego blocks were ______ together.

The anterior longitudinal ligament is like a strong ______ that runs down the front of your spine.

People with AS can have back pain and stiffness, especially in the lower part of the spine. Sometimes, they might feel it in other places too, like their hips, shoulders, and the back of their ______.

The interspinous ligament helps keep the blocks in place and prevents them from moving ______.

Joint movements in our body have different types of joints and each can move in different ways. Let's think of some of them as doors. Hinge Joints are like the door to your room. They can open and close in one direction only. Your elbows and knees have hinge joints that allow you to bend and straighten your arms and ______.