Spine facts for kids

The vertebral column as seen from the side

Your spine is a very important part of your body. It is a column of small bones called vertebrae (say: VER-tuh-bray). These bones are stacked up in your back. You might also hear it called your backbone or vertebral column.

Inside your spine, there is a special tunnel called the spinal canal. This tunnel protects your spinal cord, which is like a superhighway for nerves. It sends messages between your brain and the rest of your body. Animals with a spine are called vertebrates. Animals without a spine are called invertebrates. Humans have a spine, so we are vertebrates! Many animals with spines, like mammals, have soft cushions called intervertebral discs between their vertebrae. These discs help your spine bend and absorb shock.

Parts of Your Spine

Your vertebral column has five main parts, or regions. Each region has a special job. Let's look at them from top to bottom:

• Cervical Region (Red): This is the top part of your spine, right in your neck. It helps support your head. There are 7 vertebrae in this section. The first two, called the atlas and axis, connect your spine to your skull. They let you nod and shake your head.
• Thoracic Region (Blue): This part is in your upper back. It helps support your ribs. There are 12 vertebrae here. Your ribs attach to these vertebrae, forming a protective cage around your heart and lungs.
• Lumbar Region (Yellow): This is your lower back. It's a strong part of your spine that helps you lift and carry things. It has 5 vertebrae. This area takes a lot of your body's weight.
• Sacral Region (Green): This part is at the bottom of your spine, just above your tailbone. It is made up of 5 vertebrae that are fused (joined) together into one bone called the sacrum.
• Coccygeal Region (Purple): This is your tailbone. It's at the very end of your spine. It is made up of 3 to 5 small vertebrae that are often fused together.

The Spinal Canal

The spinal column has a hollow space running through it called the spinal canal. This canal is very important because it protects your spinal cord. The spinal cord is a major part of your central nervous system. It carries messages from your brain to your body and from your body back to your brain. Think of it as the main cable connecting your brain to all your body parts!

Images for kids

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  A typical thoracic vertebra viewed from above. The unlabeled hole in the middle will form the Spinal canal.

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  An MRI of the human spine. The part in blue is the spinal canal. It also shows that one vertebra has been broken (L-3), which means that the spinal cord is compressed at one point (L-3,L-4 impingement).