The vertebral column is the central bony pillar of the body and serves to protect the spinal cord from injury. Vertebrae show regional differences but they all possess a common pattern. Analysis of the biomechanics of individual components of the spine allows one to predict how the spinal column behaves during impact. Although many forces and moments in different directions act on the spine, they can be resolved into the basic loads — compressive/tensile forces, shearing forces, sagittal plane bending and torsion. The normal motion and function, mechanisms of injury and residual stability of the cervical spine is explored. Stabilisation techniques employed in the management of cervical spine trauma are described along with the clinical indications, advantages and disadvantages of each technique.