The spinal cord ends in the lumbar area and continues as spinal
nerves. Because of its resemblance to a horse's tail, the
collection of these nerves at the end of the spinal cord is called
the cauda equina. These nerves send and receive messages to and
from the legs and pelvic organs.
Review Date: 07/03/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
