Why Do Children Need to be Checked?
The atlas and axis are the technical names of the upper two vertebra in the neck. The top vertebra is called the atlas. Just as the Greek God, Atlas, held up the world, the atlas of your spine holds up your head. The axis gets its name from the rotational axis of the Earth, since seventy-percent of the rotation of the head occurs at the axis vertebra. Consider the weight of the head, at eight to ten pounds, and that these two top vertebrae are held to the head by only ligaments—the result is a very vulnerable joint to injury. [...]
