Anatomy of Spondylosis

Your back, or spine, is made up of many parts. Your backbone, also called your vertebral column, provides support and protection. It consists of 25 vertebrae (bones). There are discs between each of the vertebra that act like pads or shock absorbers. Each disc is made up of a tire-like outer band called the annulus fibrosus and a gel-like inner substance called the nucleus pulposus. Together, the vertebrae and the discs provide a protective tunnel (the spinal canal) to house the spinal cord and spinal nerves. These nerves run down the center of the vertebrae and exit to various parts of the body.

At the back of your spine, you have joints called facet joints. They work like hinges and allow the spine to move in different directions. The moving surfaces of the joints are covered in cartilage (see diagram).

Your back also has muscles, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. Muscles are strands of tissues that act as the source of power for movement. Ligaments are the strong, flexible bands of fibrous tissue that link the bones together, and tendons connect muscles to bones and discs. Blood vessels provide nourishment. These parts all work together to help you move about.