From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Alar ligament

Ligament of the spine and skull

Field	Value
Name	Alar ligament
Latin	ligamenta alaria
Image	Gray307.png
Caption	Membrana tectoria, transverse, and alar ligaments. Alar ligament labeled at center right
From	Sides of the dens (on the axis, or the second cervical vertebra)
To	Tubercles on the medial side of the occipital condyle

In anatomy, the alar ligaments are ligaments which connect the dens (a bony protrusion on the second cervical vertebra) to tubercles on the medial side of the occipital condyle.

They are short, tough, fibrous cords that attach on the skull and on the axis, and function to check side-to-side movements of the head when it is turned. Because of their function, the alar ligaments are also known as the "check ligaments of the odontoid".

Structure

The alar ligaments are two strong, rounded cords of about 0.5 cm in diameter that run from the sides of the foramen magnum of the skull to the dens of the axis, the second cervical vertebra. They span almost horizontally, creating an angle between them of at least 140°.

Development

The alar ligaments, along with the transverse ligament of the atlas, derive from the axial component of the first cervical sclerotome.

Function

The function of the alar ligaments is to limit the amount of rotation of the head, and by their action on the dens of the axis, they attach the skull to the axis, the second cervical vertebra.

Clinical significance

The alar ligaments are prone to tearing if a force is applied when the head is flexed and in rotation.

References

(2013). "Clinically Oriented Anatomy". Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
(2013). "Revisiting the clinical anatomy of the alar ligaments.". European Spine Journal.
(2011). "Embryology and bony malformations of the craniovertebral junction.". Child's Nervous System.
(July 2013). "Toward understanding normal craniocervical rotation occurring during the rotation stress test for the alar ligaments.". Physical Therapy.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

ligaments-of-the-head-and-neck bones-of-the-vertebral-column

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Alar ligament — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report