Human back: Encyclopedia II - Human back - Anatomy of the back

Human back - Anatomy of the back

Human back - Skeletal structure of the back

The central feature of the human back is the vertebral column, specifically the length from the top of the thoracic vertebrae to the bottom of the lumbar vertebrae, which houses the spinal cord in its spinal canal, and which generally has some curvature that gives shape to the back. The ribcage extends from the spine at the top of the back (with the top of the ribcage corresponding to the T1 vertebra), more than halfway down the length of the back, leaving an area with less protection between the bottom of the ribcage and the hips. The width of the back at the top is defined by the scapula, the broad, flat bones of the shoulders.

Human back - Muscles of the back

The spine is bordered by several groups of muscles, including the intertransversarii muscle which facilitate movement between the individual vertabrae, and the multifidus spinae, which facilitate the movement of the spine as a whole.

Other muscles in the back are associated with the movement of the neck and shoulders. The trapeziusmuscle, which is named from its trapezium-like shape, runs between the neck, the two shoulders, and the thoracic vertebra, T12. The large latissimus dorsi make a triangle from the shoulder to the hip

Human back - Organs of the back

The lungs are within the ribcage, and extend to the back of the ribcage, making it possible for them to be listened into through the back. The kidneys are situated beneath the muscles in the area below the end of the ribcage, loosely connected to the peritoneum.

Human back - Surface of the back

The skin of the human back is thicker and has fewer nerve endings than the skin on any other part of the torso. With some notable exceptions, it tends to have less hair than the chest on men

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Anatomy of the back", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki