Vertebra facts for kids
Vertebrae (say: VER-tuh-bray) are the special bones that make up your spinal column. This column is also called your backbone. It's a strong, flexible stack of bones that helps you stand up straight and move around.
Humans usually have 33 vertebrae. Some of these bones are fused together, like the five that form your sacrum (a bone at the base of your spine). Four more are fused to make your coccyx (say: KOK-siks), which is your tailbone. The other 24 vertebrae are separate and have soft intervertebral discs between them. These discs act like cushions.
The 24 separate vertebrae are divided into three main groups:
- Cervical (say: SER-vih-kul): These are the 7 vertebrae in your neck.
- Thoracic (say: thuh-RAS-ik): These are the 12 vertebrae in your upper back, where your ribs attach.
- Lumbar (say: LUM-bar): These are the 5 largest vertebrae in your lower back.
Each vertebra has a hole in the middle. When stacked, these holes form a tunnel that protects your spinal cord. Your spinal cord is like a superhighway for messages between your brain and the rest of your body.
Images for kids
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A typical cervical vertebra (from the neck).
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A typical thoracic vertebra (from the upper back).
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A lumbar vertebra (from the lower back).
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The sacrum bone.
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How vertebrae develop.
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An example of vertebrae from a rattlesnake.
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A vertebral joint.
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A joint where a rib connects to a vertebra.
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The arches of three thoracic vertebrae.
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Rib and vertebra joints seen from the front.
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Lower thoracic and upper lumbar vertebrae seen from the side.
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Cervical vertebrae seen from the back.
See also
In Spanish: Vértebra para niños
