What is Backbone?

The backbone is a long hollowed-out, rod-like structure running from the neck to the lower back, inside our body. The Scientific name of the backbone is the vertebral column. Whereas, it is made up of small bones placed one over the other. The small bones that make the complete single backbone are called vertebrae. Let’s talk about their extended features of the backbone is about 70-75 cm in length, 5-7 cm in width, and is a relatively S-shaped vertebral column.

Functions of Backbone

The areas of the Backbone that are made up of vertebrae, function in their ways:

• Cervical Spine(C1-C8): It supports and facilitates the movement of your head.
• Thoracic Spine (T1-T12):  The upper and middle regions of the back are formed by the 12 vertebrae that make up the thoracic portion of the spine, which articulates with the ribs.
• Lumbar Spine(L1-L5):  It supports the upper parts of the spine that connect to the pelvis and bears most of the body’s weight.
• Sacrum (S1-S5): The sacral region is formed by the fusion of five vertebrae into a single structure is also known as the sacrum.
• Coccyx (Co1): It has four fused vertebrae that make up this small piece of bone found at the bottom of your spine.

Also Read:

• Difference Between Brain and Spinal Cord
• Difference between Invertebrates and Vertebrates
• Vertebrata
• Kingdom Animalia

The spinal cord and backbone both play a vital role in the functioning of the human body. The Spinal cord belongs to the nervous system whereas the backbone belongs to the skeletal system. The spinal cord is a long nerve shape whereas the backbone is composed of vertebrates. The spinal cord lies within the backbone. Stretching from the base of the spine almost to the brain’s stem, the spinal cord is a long, delicate tube-like tissue. On the other hand, the backbone is an individual bone that stretches from the neck to the lower back which is used to bend the body.