Bone · Neck

Cervical spine

Vertebrae cervicales

The cervical spine is the seven vertebrae of the neck. They are the smallest and most mobile vertebrae in the body, and they carry the head — a surprisingly heavy load held up all day. Each one has a hole in its side process that a vertebral artery climbs through to the brain, and each pair meets at small facet joints angled to allow generous turning and tilting. The deep neck muscles anchor to their spinous and transverse processes.