Understanding the Spine

In understanding the shape of the spine, there are three points to remember:

1. Lower/lumbar = curve
2. Middle/thoracic = straight
3. Upper/cervical = straight

Whenever something looks wrong in an image and it’s related to the spine, it is usually because the neck has not been lead by the spine. In other words, rather than bending in a gradual curve, the neck will jut out at a sharper, more unnatural angle.