About Your Back

Your back is a rather complex structure built around the 24 bones of the spinal column. The bones that make up the spinal column are called vertebrae and they sit one on top of another.

At the top of this column of bones you’ll find – your skull! At the bottom of your spine you’ll find the pelvis.

The bones of the spine are connected together by the facet joints at the back and the discs to the front. The facet joints give the spinal column its ability to flex and the discs help absorb the everyday loads on the spine. Between the facet joints and the round sections of bone and discs is a hollow channel called the spinal canal. This canal is where the nerves of the spinal cord run down from your brain to the other parts of your body. Where the nerves pass out from the spinal column on their way to the muscles of your arms and legs they are known as nerve roots.

The bones of your back are also held together by strong bands of ligaments which, together with the spinal muscles, give the back its strength.