The Lumbar Spine/Lumbar Vertebrae

Lumbar pertains to the loins, and these five lumbar vertebrae are the most substantial in the spinal cavity.

L1-L5 (lumbar vertebrae): The symbols L1 through L5 represent the five lumbar vertebrae. The lumbar vertebrae are situated between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacral vertebrae in the spinal column.

The images below show the five vertebra of the lower back. The last vertebra (on the upper left of the picture) attaches to the sacrum, and the top vertebra (on the right of the picture) attaches to the thoracic section of the back. The vertebra are broader and stronger than the other bones in the spine. This allows them to absorb the added pressure applied to the lower back, but this area remains a common sight of injury. The vertebra are numbered from one to five and are labeled L1, L2, L3 etc. from the higher bones to the lower.

The Lumbar Spine	The Lumbar Spine

Fifty percent of flexion (bending forward) occurs at the hips, and fifty percent occurs at the lower (lumbar) spine. The motion is divided between the five motion segments in the lumbar spine, although a disproportionate amount of the motion is at L4-L5 (lumbar segment 4 and 5) and L3-L4 (lumbar segment 3 and 4). Consequently, these two segments are the most likely to break down with degeneration. As these segments break down they can become unstable with an excess of motion creating pain. Chiropractic care can help alleviate the pain by stopping the motion.

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