The vertebral column consists of 24 articulating vertebrae and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and coccyx. It has three physiological functions: allowing back movement, supporting external loads, and housing/protecting the spinal cord. The vertebral column has four regions - cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. It has three natural curvatures - cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis - which increase its resistance strength. Poor posture can be caused by diseases, bad habits, inheritance, or accidents and can lead to back pathologies like scoliosis, hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis, or low back pain.

1. UNIT 5: POSTURAL EDUCATION AND BACK CARE
1.- VERTEBRAL COLUMN (V.C.):
The vertebral column usually consists of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused
vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. Vertebrae are separated each other by
intervertebral discs. It houses and protects the spinal cord in its spinal canal.
The vertebral column has three physiological functions:
- It allows the back movement.
- It supports external loads.
- It houses and protects the espinal cords in its spinal canal.
The V.C. has 4 regions:
- Cervical region: 7 vertebrae.
- Thoracic region: 12 vertebrae.
- Lumbar region: 5 vertebrae.
- Sacral region: composed by the sacrum bone and the coccygeal vertebrae.

2. V.C. has three natural curvatures. These curvatures increases the V.C. resistance 17
times:
- Cervical Lordosis
- Thoracical Kyphosis (Cifosis torácica)
- Lumbar Lordosis
2.- CORRECT POSTURES:
- Standing Posture:
o Hombros hacia atrás.
o Cabeza arriba.
o Cuello recto.
o Abdomen contraído.
1 2 3
1- Postura correcta.
2- El cuerpo está desplazado atrás.
3- El cuerpo está desplazado hacia adelante
- Sitting Posture:
o Asiento igual a la longitud de las
piernas.
o Tronco erguido.
o Brazos pendientes hacia abajo.
MAL BIEN
- Lying Posture

3. o Boca arriba: con almohada debajo de las
rodillas.
o Costado.
o Tres cuartos boca abajo
Poor postures can be caused by:
- Diseases.
- Bad postural habits.
- Inheritance.
- Others: accidents, pdycological attitudes…
4.- BACK PATHOLOGIES:
1. SCOLIOSIS: it is a sideway (lateral)curvature of the V.C.
2. HIPERKYPHFOSIS: aumento de la curvatura dorsal (aparecería la conocida
“chepa o joroba”).
3. HYPERLORDOSIS: aumento de la curvatura lumbar (típico de las personas adultas
con “barriguita”
1 2 3

4. Others back pathologies:
- LOW BACK PAIN OR LUMBAGO: pain in the lower part of the back. It is caused by
muscular problems.
- SLIPPED DISC (SPINAL DISC HERNIATION): it is caused when the intervertebral
discis out of its place.
5.-CORRECT POSTURES:

5. 6.- EXERCISES TO AVOID POSTURAL PROBLEMS:

6. QUESTIONS
1. What are the physiological functions of the Vertebral Column:
2. How many vertebrae Vertebral Column is composed by?
3. Explain how are Vertebral Column regions. What are the names of the Vertebral
Column curvatures?
4. What is the function of the Vertebral Column curvatures?
5. What can cause Poor Posture?
6. Draw and explain what does SCOLIOSIS, HIPERKYPHFOSIS and
HYPERLORDOSIS consist on?
7. What is the LOW BACK PAIN?

7. QUESTIONS
1. What are the physiological functions of the Vertebral Column:
2. How many vertebrae Vertebral Column is composed by?
3. Explain how are Vertebral Column regions. What are the names of the Vertebral
Column curvatures?
4. What is the function of the Vertebral Column curvatures?
5. What can cause Poor Posture?
6. Draw and explain what does SCOLIOSIS, HIPERKYPHFOSIS and
HYPERLORDOSIS consist on?
7. What is the LOW BACK PAIN?