How Do You Identify The Lumbar Vertebrae?
The four to six lumbar vertebrae are named for the Latin word lumbus meaning “loin” and verto meaning “I turn.” These bones are located in the loin area of the body and allow the body to turn. The lumbar vertebrae are the largest segments in the movable vertebral column. Distinguish the lumbar vertebrae from other vertebrae by the lack of a foramen in the transverse process and the lack of facets on the sides of the body. The body is large and wider than it is thick. It is almost flat above and below, concave behind and deeply constricted at the front and sides. Examine the pedicles of the lumbar vertebrae. They are strong and directed backward from the body. The inferior vertebral notches are therefore quite deep. The laminae are broad and short, with a triangular vertebral foramen that is larger than the vertebral foramen in the thoracic vertebrae, but smaller than the ones in the cervical vertebrae. Observe the spinous process of the lumbar vertebrae. It is broad and thick with a ge
