Number of Bones in the Spinal Column
By Cynthia Kirkeby
Jan 22, 2007, 10:48
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In the article:
Bones in the Body
By Sarah Lane
The total is incorrect..
- 26 vertebrae (7 cervical or neck, 12 thorax, 5 lumbar or loins, the sacrum which is five fused vertebrae, and the coccyx, our vestigial tail, which is four fused vertebrae);
7 + 12 + 5 = 24.
Not 26.
Alan
Sorry Alan but you're incorrect, according to Apparelyzed:
The spinal column is comprised of 33 bones, these bones are refered to individually as vertebrae. The spinal column is divided into 5 different areas contaning groups of vertebrae and are refered to as follows:
- 7 cervical vertebrae in the neck
- 12 thoracic vertebrae in the upper back corresponding to each pair of ribs
- 5 lumbar vertebrae in the lower back
- 5 sacral vertebrae which are fused together to form 1 bone called the sacrum and 4 coccygeal vertebrae that are also fused together to form the coccyx or tailbone.
- The vertebrae are refered to by their name and number, counting down from the top of the spinal column as follows:
- The cervical vertebrae are C1 - C7
- The thoracic vertebrae are T1 –T12
- The lumbar are L1 – L5
- The sacrum and coccyx do not have numbers and each is thought of as one bone.
Taking into account the fused bones of the sacrum and the coccyx, you subtract 7 bones which leaves us with 26 vertebrae.
(5 sacral vertebrae which are fused together to form 1 bone – subtract 4 bones since they are considered one bone)
(4 coccygeal vertebrae that are also fused together to form the coccyx – subtract 3 bones since they are considered one bone)
So, Sarah was correct at 26 bones.
Cynthia Kirkeby
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