Occipital bone

Looks like

The cup-shaped bone at the back and base of the skull, with a large hole where the spinal cord passes through.

What it does

Protects the back of the brain and forms the joint where the skull rocks on the top vertebra.

Keeping it well

Falls backwards are the usual injury; a hard knock here with vision loss, vomiting or confusion needs emergency assessment.

Its parts

• Foramen magnum

Related conditions

• Achondroplasia
• Acromegaly
• Brain abscess
• Fractures
• Fragility fracture
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
• Osteomalacia & rickets
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Osteoporosis
• Paget's disease of bone
• Sarcoma
• Traumatic brain injury (moderate to severe)
• Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
• Vitamin D deficiency