Typical Lumbar Spine L1-L4

Question 1

what accounts for the direction of the lumbar curve?

Answer 1

the vertebral body and intervertebral disc have a greater anterior height than posterior

Question 2

How many joint surfaces are on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?

Answer 2

six

Question 3

How many synovial joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?

Answer 3

none

Question 4

How many cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) symphysis joint surfaces are present on a typical lumbar?

Answer 4

two

Question 5

How many fibrous (amphirthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 5

four

Question 6

What muscles may attach to the first lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 6

psoas major and psoas minor

Question 7

What muscle(s) may attach from the second down to the fourth lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 7

psoas major

Question 8

Psoas minor will only attach to the vertebral body of which segments?

Answer 8

T12, L1

Question 9

What is the name given to ligaments that attach the vertebral body to articular process?

Answer 9

transforaminal ligaments

Question 10

What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?

Answer 10

corporotransverse ligaments

Question 11

Hofmann ligaments are identified in which regions along the vertebral column?

Answer 11

cervical - upper thoracic region and lumbar region

Question 12

Cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 12

dura mater to segments above

Question 13

What is the highest level known to demonstrate Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 13

C6

Question 14

What is the proposed function of the cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 14

resist caudal movement of the dural sac; resist gravitational forces on the dura and cord

Question 15

Lumbar Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 15

dura mater to lower segmental levels

Question 16

What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 16

resist cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion

Question 17

What osseous conditions of lumbar vertebrae facilitate a spinal tap in this region?

Answer 17

overlap of the laminae, shingling, diminishes; overlap of spinous processes, imbrication, diminishes

Question 18

What is the name of the elevation near the origin of the lumbar transverse process?

Answer 18

accessory process

Question 19

A styloid process occurs with what frequency and as a result of what condition?

Answer 19

7% occurence as a result of congenital elongation of the lumbar accessory process

Question 20

What is the generic shape of the typical lumbar vertebrae from the cranial view?

Answer 20

reniform or kidney shaped

Question 21

What muscle(s) attach to the lumbar accessory process?

Answer 21

longissimus thoracis and intertransversarii

Question 22

What muscles may attach to the transverse process typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 22

psoas major, quadratus lumborum, longissimus thoracis, rotator brevis, rotator longus and intertrasversarii

Question 23

What muscles will attach to lumbar superior articular process?

Answer 23

multifidis and intertranversarrii

Question 24

What ligament will attach to the lumbar superior articular process and transverse process?

Answer 24

mammillo-accesssory ligament

Question 25

What was believed to be entrapped by the mammillo-accessory ligament?

Answer 25

the medial branch of the dorsal ramus of a lumbar spinal nerve?

Question 26

What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in adults?

Answer 26

the zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane for L1/L2, L2/L3, L3/L4;
The zygapophysis lies in the coronal plane for L4/L5 and L5/S1

Question 27

What name is given to zygapophyses between vertebral couples that lie in the same plane?

Answer 27

joint symmetry

Question 28

What names are given to the condition in which one zygapophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane or position and the other zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane or position?

Answer 28

joint asymmetry or joint tropism

Question 29

What is the name(s) of the condition in which the typical lumbar spinous process increases in length due to the aging process?

Answer 29

Baastrup’s syndrome or ‘kissing spines”

Question 30

What muscles will attach to the typical lumbar spinous process?

Answer 30

latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior, iliocostalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis, spinalis thoracis, multifidis, rotator longus, rotator brevis and interspinalis