Suboccipital Muscle Mastery

Anatomy of the Cervical Spine

• The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae between the cranium and thoracic vertebrae.
• The first cervical vertebra (C1) is called the atlas, and the second cervical vertebra (C2) is called the axis.
• The cervical vertebrae have a triangular vertebral foramen, bifid spinous process, and transverse foramina.
• The atlas has no vertebral body or spinous process, but has an articular facet anteriorly and lateral masses on either side of the vertebral arch.
• The axis has a dens that articulates with the articular facet of the atlas, creating the medial atlanto-axial joint.
• The cervical spine has symphysis joints between vertebral bodies and synovial joints between vertebral arches.
• The atlanto-axial and atlanto-occipital joints are unique to the cervical spine.
• The atlanto-axial joints have two lateral plane synovial joints and one medial pivot synovial joint.
• The atlanto-occipital joints are condyloid synovial joints that permit flexion at the head.
• Ligaments supporting the cervical spine include the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments, the tectorial membrane, and the supraspinous ligament.
• The transverse foramina provide a passageway for the vertebral artery, vein, and sympathetic nerves except in C7 and the atlas.
• The spinal nerves extend through the intervertebral foramen created by the joints at the articular processes, with C7 having a set of spinal nerves extending from above and below the vertebra.