Anatomy of the Spine – Upper Back, Lower Back and Neck

Although the spine is a continuous structure, it is often described as if it were five separate units. These units are the five different sections of the spine:

1. The cervical spine – the neck and upper back, composed of the seven vertebrae closest to the skull. The cervical spine supports the weight and movement of your head and protects the nerves exiting your brain.
2. The lumbar spine – the lower back, composed of five vertebrae, provides support for the majority of your body’s weight.
3. The thoracic spine – the middle back, made up of the 12 vertebrae in between the cervical and lumbar spine.
4. The sacrum – the base of the spine that is composed of five vertebrae fused (joined together) as one solid unit. The sacrum attaches to ilium of the pelvis, forming the sacroiliac joints.
5. The coccyx – the “tailbone” located below the sacrum, composed of four fused vertebrae.