“Intervertebral Discs (Intervertebral Fibrocartilages)”  

Intervertebral Disks

  In our body's vertebral column (backbone, spine) the Intervertebral Discs (Intervertebral Fibrocartilages), aka Spinal Disks are complex structures responsible for flexibility, multi-axial motion, and load transmission throughout the spine, comprised of fibrocartilaginous joints that lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine (spinal column), one disk between each pair of vertebrae, except for the first cervical segment (atlas).
  In our body, the Intervertebral Discs (Intervertebral Fibrocartilages) are form of a joint that allows slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together. There are a total of twenty four discs in the our spine, making up about 25% of the height of the spine.
  In our body, the discs between the bones of the spine are made up of cartilage, fibrous tissue, and water.

In our body, the spine is composed of thirty-three bony segments called vertebrae. There are seven segments in the neck (cervical vertebrae), twelve in the mid-back (thoracic vertebrae), and five in the lower back (lumbar vertebrae).

The remainder of the segments forms the pelvis and tailbone. In the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, invertebral discs separate each vertebra.

These Spinal Discs, which absorb shock, consist of semi-fluid matter (nucleus pulposus) that is surrounded by a capsule of elastic fibers (annulus fibrosus) containing nerve endings. The vertebrae and the invertebral discs that separate each segment are designed to permit flexible support of the body and to protect the spinal cord and nerve roots from injury. *

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