The vertebrae are bound together and the column strengthened by several ligaments.

The supraspinous ligament, a thick band which connects the points of the spinous processes from the first sacral to the seventh cervical vertebrae.

The ligamentum nuchae is the continuation of the supraspinous to the occipital protuberance, having attachments to all the cervical vertebrae by slips.

The anterior common ligament is a strong band in front of the vertebral bodies, firmly fixed to the intervertebral cartilages and to the bones.

The posterior common ligament is at the back of the vertebrae, chiefly attached to the discs and margins of the bones. It forms the anterior boundary of the canal.

The ligamentum subflava is composed of yellow elastic tissue ; it is attached to the front and lower border of one lamina, and to the back and upper border of the lamina of the vertebrae next below. It is very strong and elastic, and helps to maintain the curvatures of the spine, and assists the muscles in recovering the erect position after the spine has been bent forward.

Interspinous ligaments between margins of spinous processes, strongly developed in the lumbar region.

Inter-transverse ligaments between transverse processes.

Two sets of ligaments bind the ribs to the vertebrae ; one set connects the heads of the ribs to the bodies of the vertebrae, the other connects the necks and tubercles with the transverse processes.

There are anterior, posterior, and capsular ligaments connecting the costal cartilages with the sternum.

The clavicle and sternum are bound together by an anterior and posterior, capsular, and other ligaments.

The sterno-clavicular joint has two synovial membranes.

The sacro-iliac-synchondrosis has five strong ligaments :

1.  Anterior sacro-iliac.                3. Oblique sacro-iliac.

2.  Posterior sacro-iliac.               4. Great sacro-sciatic.

5. Small sacro-sciatic.

The great sacro-sciatic ligament crosses the great sacro-sciatic notch, leaving a hole, the great sacro-sciatic foramen, through which pass out of the pelvis the pyriformis muscle, above it the gluteal vessels and superior gluteal nerve, and below it the sciatic vessels and nerves, internal pudic vessels and nerve, and the muscular branches of the sacral plexus.

The small sacro-sciatic ligament crosses from the spine of the ischium to the sacrum, and closes in the lesser sacro-sciatic notch, leaving a hole through which the internal obturator muscle and the internal pudic vessels and nerve pass out.

The symphysis pubis has four ligaments :

1.  Anterior pubic.                        3. Supra-pubic.

2.  Posterior pubic.                      4. Infra-pubic.