Lumbar spine

Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

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The lumbar spine is the section of the spine that starts just below the thoracic spine and ends at the sacrum. This area of ​​the spine is particularly heavily stressed - the body weight rests on it due to the upright gait of the person. Read everything you need to know about the lumbar spine!

What is the lumbar spine?

All vertebrae that lie between the thoracic spine and the sacrum are referred to as the lumbar spine - there are five in number. The lumbar spine - like the cervical spine - has a physiological curvature forwards (lordosis).

The five lumbar vertebrae are more powerfully built than the vertebrae of the rest of the spine. They are tall and wide with a transverse oval large vertebral body. The articular processes of the lumbar vertebrae are also very strong, since the lumbar spine has to support the entire trunk and head.

Between the lumbar vertebrae - as in the entire spine - there are intervertebral discs (intervertebral discs) and ligaments.

The transverse processes that branch off laterally from the lumbar vertebrae are rudiments of the ribs that grow longer from the first to the third lumbar vertebra and then gradually get shorter to the fifth lumbar vertebra.

Lumbar puncture and lumbar anesthesia

The spinous processes of the lumbar vertebrae are clearly surmounted by the back muscles, are very strong, flattened and stand horizontally. As a result, the access to the spinal canal from behind between the individual lumbar vertebrae is quite wide - wider than with the thoracic spine. It is possible, for example, to puncture the spinal cord between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae with a long needle (lumbar puncture) and remove cerebrospinal fluid, for example to diagnose diseases.

Lumbar anesthesia, which paralyzes the lower section of the spinal cord and thus makes the entire lower half of the body insensitive to pain, is also performed in this area.

"Ponytail" (Cauda equina)

The spinal cord only extends to the first or second lumbar vertebra. Below that, the spinal cord is just a bundle of nerve fibers made up of anterior and posterior spinal nerve roots of the lumbar and sacral cord - the cauda equina.

What is the function of the lumbar spine?

The lumbar spine bears the weight of the torso and head. It also ensures mobility of the spine. The body is bent forward in particular via a transverse axis in the lumbar spine (and the cervical spine). A sideways inclination is possible in the cervical and lumbar spine to about the same extent.

The lumbar lordosis - together with the cervical lordosis and chest kyphosis - ensures that the body's center of gravity lies above the feet and thus enables an upright gait (lordosis = curvature in the direction of the abdomen; kyphosis = curvature in the opposite direction, i.e. backwards) .

Where is the lumbar spine located?

The lumbar spine connects to the thoracic spine and extends to the sacrum. The extensions of the individual vertebrae lie closely above one another under the skin of the back, where they can be seen and felt between the back muscles in very slim people.

What problems can the lumbar spine cause?

Congenital or acquired changes in the (lumbar) spine can impair its stability and function. In so-called scoliosis, for example, the spine is bent to the side. In addition, individual vertebral bodies are twisted around their longitudinal axis.

In some people, the number of vertebrae varies. For example, the last lumbar vertebra may have grown together with the first sacral vertebra (sacralization).

Individual vertebrae can be blocked in their mobility, for example due to muscle spasms.

Lumbar spine syndrome (lumbar spine syndrome) refers to all symptoms that are related to the lumbar spine: Sciatica or intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbago:

The sciatica syndrome describes a root irritation syndrome with spontaneous and stretching pain, triggered by a herniated disc (prolapse) or a bulging disc (protrusion). Lumbago is the technical term for lumbago. It is characterized by stabbing pain and a blockage in the lumbar region. Lumbago can become chronic.

The cauda equina syndrome refers to damage to the cauda equina from an accident, a herniated disc or from tumors. The damage causes flaccid paralysis of the legs without a lack of reflexes and sensitivity disorders.

Apart from degenerative changes, injuries can also be the cause of a herniated disc in the lumbar spine area.

In babies with weak muscles, the physiological lordosis of the lumbar spine can abolish - sitting kyphosis develops (curvature backwards when sitting).

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