Lesson 12 of 14 · Yoga & anatomy

The spine, discs & back care

Understand the structure. Choose movement with care.

Spinal curves, vertebrae, discs and nerves; the difference between spondylitis and spondylosis; and context for the notebook’s yoga and injury-care list.

Notes: Daniel Fewtrell · Edited 17 September 2026
Educational study material · No named teacher review recorded

01 · Study

A column with curves

The spine supports the trunk and protects neural structures while allowing movement. Cervical and lumbar curves are lordotic; thoracic and sacral curves are kyphotic. These words can describe normal curves. “Hyper” means increased and “hypo” means reduced.

A straighter-looking neck is not, on its own, a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. A photograph or posture check cannot establish the cause of pain.

Labeled views of the vertebral column showing cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal regions and the spinal curves. — **The vertebral column**The vertebral column — OpenStax, Anatomy and Physiology, CC BY 4.0. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction Source · CC BY 4.0Select the image for a full-size view.

Five regions and the 26-bone count ↗

Further reading: OpenStax · Vertebral column ↗

02 · Study

Reading the vertebra sketch

The two kinds of opening are easy to confuse: the vertebral canal runs along the spine; intervertebral foramina are exits at the sides.

Notebook label	What it identifies
Vertebral body	The main weight-bearing part.
Vertebral foramen	The opening within a vertebra; successive openings form the vertebral canal.
Spinous process	The projection towards the back.
Transverse processes	Side projections for attachments.
Intervertebral foramina	Side openings between vertebrae through which spinal nerves exit.
Spinal cord	Nervous tissue within the canal; it is not the canal itself.

Further reading: OpenStax · Vertebral column ↗

03 · Study

Disc, ring and centre

The nucleus pulposus belongs to an intervertebral disc. It is not a cell nucleus and is not a general structure of the brain or eyes. This corrects the notebook’s mixed use of “nucleus”.

Structure	Study meaning
Annulus fibrosus	The disc’s fibrous outer ring.
Nucleus pulposus	Its softer, gel-like central material.

Further reading: OpenStax · Vertebral column ↗

04 · Study

Similar words, different conditions

The class lists pain, swelling, heat and redness as signs of inflammation. Those are general teaching signs, not a reliable checklist for diagnosing inflammation deep within the spine.

Term	Meaning and distinction
Spondylitis	Inflammation involving the spine. Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of axial spondyloarthritis; it is not simply loss of the neck’s curve.
Spondylosis	Degenerative changes of the spine. Cervical spondylosis concerns the neck; many people have changes without symptoms.
Disc bulge / herniation	Related descriptions of disc displacement. “Slipped disc” is a common, imprecise name. A clinician interprets imaging alongside symptoms.
Annular fissure / tear	A disruption within the outer disc ring; it is not automatically the same thing as a symptomatic herniation.
Spinal stenosis	Narrowing of the canal or nerve-exit spaces; symptoms depend on the structures involved.
Radicular pain	Pain associated with irritation of a nerve root, potentially travelling into a limb. Not every spreading pain is radicular pain.

Further reading: NHS · Slipped disc ↗ · NIAMS · Spinal stenosis ↗ · NHS · Cervical spondylosis ↗ · NHS · Ankylosing spondylitis ↗

05 · Study

The yoga list: a study menu, not a treatment sequence

These names come from the page headed “yogic treatment”. They span standing, folding, twisting and backbending. They are not interchangeable remedies for a disc problem, and completing the list is not a recovery target.

Name in standardised form	English name / reading	How to approach the note
Tāḍāsana; Tiryaka Tāḍāsana	Palm-tree / standing reach; swaying palm tree	The palm-tree name is used in some haṭha schools; elsewhere Tāḍāsana is Mountain. Side bending is an additional action.
Bhujaṅgāsana	Cobra	A backbend; its depth should be individually chosen.
Dhanurāsana; Śalabhāsana	Bow; Locust	More demanding extension; not a default starting point for back pain.
Mārkaṭāsana	Supine twist, as labelled in the notes	Versions vary; do not force the knees or shoulders towards the floor.
Śaśāṅkāsana / Śaśāṅka-related spelling	Likely a kneeling forward-rest posture	The word is uncertain. Bālāsana (Child’s Pose) is separately legible; do not silently treat the two names as identical.
Bālāsana; Apānāsana	Child’s Pose; knees-to-chest	Flexion-based positions can suit some people and aggravate others.
Setu Bandhāsana	Bridge	Keep the neck still; height is optional.
Mārjārī–Bitilāsana	Cat–Cow	Explore a small range without forcing the end points.
Matsyendrāsana	A spinal-twist family	The exact version is not specified; a deep seated twist has not been prescribed.
Pavanamuktāsana	Wind-relieving pose / release-practice terminology	The single pose and the wider movement series are different uses of the name.
Pādottānāsana (notebook spelling)	A leg-stretch entry beside “calf + hamstring stretch”	Insufficient detail to identify a particular standing or supine variation.

Supported Child’s Pose with the torso resting on a bolster.Open pose guidance ↗

Low bridge with feet grounded, pelvis lifted, and head and shoulders resting on the mat.Open pose guidance ↗

Existing illustrated pose guidance ↗Find a gentle option by body area ↗

Further reading: NHS · Slipped disc ↗

06 · Study

What PRICE does—and does not—mean

The notebook spells out Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. NHS guidance uses PRICE for the early care of sprains and strains. It is not a standard treatment for every spinal condition or an instruction to immobilise the back.

For a recent sprain or strain, ice should be wrapped rather than applied directly to skin; NHS guidance describes up to 20 minutes every 2–3 hours initially. Compression and elevation concern an appropriate injured area, not tightly wrapping the neck or spine. When movement is tolerable, gradual activity helps prevent stiffness.

Further reading: NHS · Sprains and strains ↗

07 · Study

When a class is not the next step

Seek assessment for persistent or worsening pain, unexplained weight loss, fever, or pain that disrupts ordinary activity. Most back pain is not a medical emergency, but some accompanying symptoms need urgent care.