Interesting facts about your spine

1 min read
Picture of Dr. Pasquale X. Montesano
Dr. Pasquale X. Montesano

Principal Orthopedic Spine surgeon at Montesano Spine & Sport.

Clinician shows a seated patient a spine model inside a medical examination room

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The spine is a fascinating and important bone in the body. Here are a few interesting facts about the spine:

  • The “atlas” is the highest bone in the neck and is named after the god Atlas because he was in charge of holding up the sky, just like how your neck holds up your head. 
  • The spinal cord weighs 35 grams
  • The cartilage in your spine expands and contracts
  • Men have longer spines than women
  • Your spine carries millions of electrical nerve messages a day between your brain and body

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