Cervical Spinous Processes Surface Anatomy

Location

The spinous processes can be felt along the midline of the posterior aspect of the neck. The first spinous process that can be felt is C2. C7 is the most prominent of the cervical spinous processes.

Significance

There is a normal lordosis, or inward curvature to the cervical spine.

A fracture of a spinous process or dislocation of a facet joint may cause a shift in the alignment of the spinous processes, which normally run in line with each other.