Health exams for: #AGEGROUP#
The following exams, tests, and procedures are recommended for #AGEGROUPLOWER#.#FEMALETEXT#
Select a link from the list below to learn how and why each test is performed, as well how to prepare for it.
The following exams, tests, and procedures are recommended for #AGEGROUPLOWER#.#FEMALETEXT#
Select a link from the list below to learn how and why each test is performed, as well how to prepare for it.
The vertebral column is made up of 26 bones that provide axial support to the trunk. The vertebral column provides protection to the spinal cord that runs through its central cavity. Between each vertebra is an intervertebral disk. The disks are filled with a gelatinous substance, called the nucleus pulposus, which provides cushioning to the spinal column. The annulus fibrosus is a fibrocartilageous ring that surrounds the nucleus pulposus, which keeps the nucleus pulposus intact when forces are applied to the spinal column. The intervertebral disks allow the vertebral column to be flexible and act as shock absorbers during everyday activities such as walking, running and jumping.
Review Date: 8/12/2023
Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.