Cervical Spine Biomechanics

The unique anatomy of the cervical spine is responsible for providing a highly mobile functional support for the skull, while protecting the spinal cord from injury. It is only when the cervical spine becomes dysfunctional that we begin to appreciate the importance of its role in the performance of daily activities. Because the upper cervical spine is capable of extremely complex patterns of motion, we can enhance our ability to understand these patterns by subdividing the occipital-atlanto-axial joint into two motion segments (C0/C1 and C1/C2), where each motion segment consists of two adjacent bony structures and their associated soft tissues.
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