How many intervertebral discs are present in the spine (excluding atlas and axis)?

Get ready for your Certified CrossFit Trainer L3 Exam with our comprehensive quizzes featuring flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question provides hints and explanations to aid your study process and help you pass with confidence!

Multiple Choice

How many intervertebral discs are present in the spine (excluding atlas and axis)?

Explanation:
Intervertebral discs are the cushions between adjacent vertebral bodies. There is no disc between the skull and the first cervical vertebra (atlas) or between atlas and the second cervical vertebra (axis). From C2 down to S1, there is a disc between every pair of consecutive vertebrae. Counting those spaces: there are six between the cervical vertebrae from C2-C3 through C7-T1, twelve in the thoracic region from T1-T2 through T12-L1, and five in the lumbar region from L1-L2 through L5-S1. That adds up to 6 + 12 + 5 = 23 discs. Excluding atlas and axis doesn’t remove any discs because there isn’t a disc at the skull–C1 or C1–C2 junction anyway. Hence, there are 23 intervertebral discs.

Intervertebral discs are the cushions between adjacent vertebral bodies. There is no disc between the skull and the first cervical vertebra (atlas) or between atlas and the second cervical vertebra (axis). From C2 down to S1, there is a disc between every pair of consecutive vertebrae. Counting those spaces: there are six between the cervical vertebrae from C2-C3 through C7-T1, twelve in the thoracic region from T1-T2 through T12-L1, and five in the lumbar region from L1-L2 through L5-S1. That adds up to 6 + 12 + 5 = 23 discs. Excluding atlas and axis doesn’t remove any discs because there isn’t a disc at the skull–C1 or C1–C2 junction anyway. Hence, there are 23 intervertebral discs.

More Multiple Choice Questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy