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Some of these named ligaments in the spine include: the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments (ALL and PLL), interspinous ligaments, supraspinous ligaments, intertransverse ligaments, and ligamentum flavum. Ligaments typically joint bones to other bones to stabilize them to one another. Ligaments are strong, tough bands that are typically not very flexible. There are hundreds of individual ligaments in the spine. Ligaments of the BackĪs mentioned previously, the anatomy of the spine is quite complex. Furthermore, the articulating processes of adjacent vertebra join to form facet joints, which, in the lumbar spine, allow for mainly bending and straightening of the spine. As mentioned prior, each of these processes serve as attachment points for various muscles and ligaments which enhance the stability of the spine. These include the spinous process, the two transverse processes, and the paired superior and inferior articulating processes. Labeled lumbar vertebraīehind the vertebral body are the various processes of the vertebra. Segment is made of two vertebrae, the intervertebral disk, and two spinal nerves This is also a major reason why we become shorter as we age. Unfortunately, as we age, the water content decreases, leading to degenerative disc disease, or more simply put, arthritis of the back.
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This trait gives the disc much of its shock absorbing abilities. The intervertebral disc is, in large part, is made up of water. The soft, compressible inner portion of the disc is called the nucleus pulposus. The tough outer ring of the disc is called the annulus fibrosis. The intervertebral disc has two distinct components to it. nerves that exit through intervertebral foramen at each respective level.īetween each vertebral body is a shock absorbing structure called an intervertebral disc. They exit between the pedicles (in an area called the intervertebral foramen). Each of these paired spinal nerves exits on both sides of the spine at each level of the lumbar spine. The dural sac contains all of the important nerves that allow you to control your bowel and bladder as well as to move and feel your legs. The posterior (or back) aspect of the body, and medial (or inside) aspects of the pedicle, and the anterior (or front) lamina form a protective bony ring, called the spinal canal, around the very important dural sac. The processes serve as attachment points for various ligaments and muscles that are important to the stability of the spine. The vertebral bodies are the major weight bearing portion of the vertebra. The vertebrae of the lumbar spine are the largest of the spine as they must support the most weight. Similar to the rest of the spine (thoracic and cervical), each of the vertebra of the lumbar spine consists of a body, two pedicles, lamina, and multiple bony projections (called processes). Some of these conditions are listed at the end of this article. There are many conditions of the spine that may affect the normal curvature of the lumbar spine, resulting in pain and disability. The amount of lordosis an individual has varies, but typically is somewhere in the range of 40-60 degrees. In the lumbar region, the spine normally curves backwards. The purpose of these curves is to grant some additional flexibility and shock absorbing abilities to the spine.
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However, when viewing the spine from the side, there are distinct curves to each part of the spine. When looking from behind, in most individuals, the spine looks straight. Lumbar Spine Anatomy Ligaments of the Back Muscles of the Back Vascular structures of the Back The Sacrum Conditions of the Lumbar Spine More About the Back Lumbar Spine Anatomy Bones, disks and facet joints of lumbar spine At the level of the lumbar spine, the spinal cord has ended (typically at the L1-2 level in an adult), and at this level exists what is called the cauda equina (latin for horse’s tail), which is a fluid filled sack which houses the nerves that allow you to control your bowel and bladder as well as to move and feel your legs.įor more detailed descriptions of anatomical terminology and spinal cord anatomy, please reference: Secondarily, it protects the spinal cord (which is the extension of the brain), and all of the nerves that branch from the spinal cord. To review, the purpose of the spine, as a whole, is to support the body so that we can stand upright. The L5 vertebra is connected to the top of the sacrum (named the S1 segment) through an intervertebral disc.
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It consists of 5 lumbar vertebra that are numbered 1 through 5 from top to bottom i.e. The lumbar spine makes up the the lower end of the spinal column. Here we will attempt to provide a brief overview of lumbar spinal anatomy. The anatomy of the lumbar spine is quite complex.