What is the joint in the neck called?

The top seven bones in the spinal column form your neck, and these are called the cervical vertebrae. The bones are linked together by facet joints. These are small joints between your vertebrae that, together with your neck muscles, allow you to move your head in any direction.

What type of joint is the upper neck?

The Axis: The Second Bone in Your Cervical Spine Between C1 and C2, there two synovial joints called the atlanto-axial joint. These joints facilitate rotation at this level. The axis has a superior extension (upward), which is a peg-like bone called the dens.

Why does my C1 hurt?

While C1-C2 is relatively sturdy and resistant to injury, it can become quite painful and problematic due to trauma or degenerative conditions. These problems may also affect the spinal nerves, vertebral artery, and/or the spinal cord at the at the C2 level.

What is a pivot joint?

pivot joint, also called rotary joint, or trochoid joint, in vertebrate anatomy, a freely moveable joint (diarthrosis) that allows only rotary movement around a single axis. The moving bone rotates within a ring that is formed from a second bone and adjoining ligament.

What is a gliding joint?

plane joint, also called gliding joint or arthrodial joint, in anatomy, type of structure in the body formed between two bones in which the articular, or free, surfaces of the bones are flat or nearly flat, enabling the bones to slide over each other.

Can C1 be adjusted?

Chiropractic manipulation. Manipulation of the cervical spine through chiropractic adjustment may help relieve pain stemming from C1-C2. This treatment, however, may not be recommended in cases where the stability of C1-C2 is compromised.

What happens when C1 and C2 are fused together?

Here the C1-C2 joint is responsible for half of all of the rotation of the head on the neck, so fusing it dramatically increases force both on the C0-C1 and C2-C3 joints above and below. Meaning that over time, you can expect these levels to break down in most patients.

What are examples of pivot joints?

An example of a pivot joint is the joint of the first and second vertebrae of the neck that allows the head to move back and forth (Figure 4). The joint of the wrist that allows the palm of the hand to be turned up and down is also a pivot joint.

What does a pivot joint look like?

A pivot joint is a specific type of joint where a cylinder-shaped bone is joined to a ring-shaped bone, and the cylinder-shaped bone is able to rotate inside the ring-shaped bone in a single axis. Pivot joint function is to allow a body part to rotate around a single point, very similar to the rotation of a wheel.

What are some examples of pivot joints?

What is the pivot joint in the neck called?

A moveable joint, called a pivot joint, is between the first and second vertebrae of your neck. Pivot joints allows rotation but not up and down movement, so the pivot joint in your neck allow you to turn your head left and right.

What is a pivot synovial joint?

The joint between your first and second cervical vertebrae is a pivot synovial joint and allows for most of your head’s range of motion while maintaining the stability of the head on the neck. Whenever you do a double take, you’re using a pivot joint. 6. Saddle Joints

Are the joints between the vertebrae of the neck moveable?

Thus the joints between the vertebrae are considered slightly moveable joints. The first vertebra of your neck is different in that it can move up and down. The flexibility of this vertebra, called the atlas, allows you to move your head upward or downward, such as when you look up at the sky or down at the ground.

What type of joint is the atlas axis?

The joint between the first and second cervical vertebrae (atlas-axis) is a pivot synovial joint and allows for most of the head’s range of motion while maintaining the stability of the head on the neck. “Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice.”