What is the significance of the cervical and the lumbar regions?

Answer 1

They are sections of the spine. They are used in medical terminology to distinguish between the four areas of the spine and back: the cervical region (neck), the thoracic region (upper torso/shoulder blade area), the lumbar region (waist/low back area) and the sacral/coccygeal region (lowest part of back and tail bone/coccyx).

It is often in these two areas, the cervical and the lumbar, areas that people have injuries, strains, sprains, and chronic pain. The cervical area is where whiplash occurs and the lumbar and lumbo-sacral areas are the most common regions for low back injuries and pain.

Answer 2

The spinal cord enlarges at the cervical and lumbosacral areas in order to accomodate the extra neurons involved with the motor control going to, and sensations coming from, the upper and lower limbs.

In the cervical spine, the neurons involved with upper limb motor control and sensory reception are found, and in the lumbosacral spine, these extra neurons can be found for the lower limbs. The thoracic and upper lumber spinal cord does not have the "extra" neurons associated with peripheral limb motor control and sensation making this area smaller.

Rate This Answer

Answer 3

These are the major areas where the nerves for the limbs arise from the spinal cord. Due to the sheer volume of nerves needed to transmit information to and from the limbs, the number of nerve cell bodies in these areas is high, resulting in a pronounced enlargement of the spinal cord at these levels.

Answer 4

They contain enlargements that help support the limbs (cervical-arms, lumbar-legs).