Anatom3DNuchal ligament
Ligamentum nuchae · Šíjový vaz
Joints & cartilage
Looks like
A thick midline sheet at the back of the neck, from the bump at the back of the skull to the spine of C7.
What it does
Supports the head, keeps the neck from folding forward and anchors the neck and shoulder muscles.
Keeping it well
Can calcify with age, which is harmless. Tender points here are common in neck strain.
Related conditions
- Axial spondyloarthritis
- Bone metastases and spinal cord compression
- Gout
- Haemophilia & bleeding disorders
- Lyme disease
- Marfan syndrome & connective tissue disorders
- Osteoarthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Rheumatic fever & rheumatic heart disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Scoliosis
- Spina bifida & neural tube defects
- Spinal cord injury
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Temporomandibular joint disorder