Typical Lumbar Spine: L1-L4

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Reniform or kidney shaped

Question 2

What accounts for the direction of the lumbar curve?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

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

Answer 3

6

Question 4

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

Answer 4

NONE

Question 5

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

Answer 5

2

Question 6

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

Answer 6

4

Question 7

What muscles may attach to the first lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 7

Psoas major and psoas minor

Question 8

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

Answer 8

Psoas major

Question 9

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

Answer 9

T12, L1

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Transforaminal ligaments

Question 11

What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?

Answer 11

Corporotransverse ligaments

Question 12

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

Answer 12

Cervical-upper thoracic region and lumbar region

Question 13

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

Answer 13

Dura mater to segments above

Question 14

What is the highest level known to demonstrate Hofmnn ligaments?

Answer 14

C6

Question 15

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

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Lumbar Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 16

Dura mater to lower segmental levels

Question 17

What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofmann ligament?

Answer 17

Resist cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion

Question 18

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

Answer 18

Overlap of the laminae, shingling, diminishes;

Overlap of spinous processes, imbrication, diminishes

Question 19

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

Answer 19

Accessory process

Question 20

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

Answer 20

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

Question 21

What muscles attach to the lumbar accessory process?

Answer 21

Longissimus thoracis and intertransversarii

Question 22

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

Answer 22

Psoas major
Quadratus lumborum
Longissimus thoracis
Rotator brevis
Rotator longus
Intertransversarii

Question 23

What muscles will attach to lumbar superior articular processes?

Answer 23

Multifidis and intertransversarii

Question 24

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

Answer 24

Mammillo-accessory 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 joint classification for the typical lumbar zygapophysis?

Answer 26

Synovial plane (diarthrosis arthrodia)

Question 27

How many synovial joints are present on a typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 27

4

Question 28

What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in children?

Answer 28

The zygapophysis lies in the coronal plane

Question 29

What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in adults?

Answer 29

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

Question 30

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

Answer 30

Joint symmetry

Question 31

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 31

Joint asymmetry or joint tropism

Question 32

What is the name of the condition in which the typical lumbar spinous process increases in length due to the agin process?

Answer 32

Baastrup’s syndrome or “kissing spines”

Question 33

What muscles will attach to the typical lumbar spinous process

Answer 33

Latissimus dorsi
Serratus posterior inferior
Iliocostalis lumborum
Longissimus thoracis
Spinalis thoracis
Multifidis 
Rotator longus
Rotator brevis 
Interspinalis