How does the spine work?
The spine is our body’s central support structure. It keeps us upright and connects the different parts of our skeleton to each other: our head, chest, pelvis, shoulders, arms and legs. Although the spine is made up of a chain of bones, it is flexible due to elastic ligaments and spinal disks.
The length of someone’s spine depends on their height. The average length is 71 cm in men and 61 cm in women. Your spine has many functions: it carries the weight of your head, torso and arms, and allows your body to move in every direction. Some sections of the spine are more flexible than others. The most flexible part is the cervical spine (neck area). The bones that make up the spine also protect the spinal cord, which runs through the spinal canal.