Anatom3DSpinal canal
Canalis vertebralis · Páteřní kanál
Skeleton
Looks like
The tunnel formed by the stacked rings of the vertebrae, running from the skull base to the sacrum.
What it does
Houses and protects the spinal cord, its nerve roots and the fluid around them.
Keeping it well
It narrows with age (spinal stenosis): leg pain on walking that eases on sitting or bending forward is typical and treatable.
Related conditions
- Achondroplasia
- Acromegaly
- Axial spondyloarthritis
- Bone metastases and spinal cord compression
- 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
- Scoliosis
- Spina bifida & neural tube defects
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal stenosis
- Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
- Vitamin D deficiency