Today, you are a member of… Bitchen’ Osteology
Column, spiral spring, indicator of hearty veracitude – the spine is an inner ballast that keeps us upright, “the firm audacious staff of that flag which I fling half out to the world,” as Melville said. It’s not all ramrod and mettle though; the spine has a nice flexibility because of the cervical and lumbar curves; the thoracic bend accomodates our vital organs; the pelvic curve and vestigal tailbone anchor all sorts of muscles. Such fantasticness we aren’t born with; it must be achieved. As embryos the spine looks like a C that eventually stretches out in a relatively straight line of 33 vertebrae at birth. When we learn to deal with the weight of our cranium, the cervical curve develops; walking happens only after Sacral and Coccygealthe vertebrae fuse, enabling the lumbar curve and an adult count of 26 vertebrae. So there you have it, members. The spine: your secret weapon. What you need is what it is: defiance toward gravity, subtle yet indispensable elasticity, that which holds the head high and keeps the walking tall. Use it this week, avidly and often.
