What are the differences between the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae?
There are several differences :
1. Size: Lumbar vertebrae are much larger than thoracic vertebra. All skeletal elements are larger in lumbar vertebra
2. Body: The vertebral body of lumbar vertebrae is larger and cylindrical / kidney shaped whereas that of a thoracic vertebra is smaller and heart shaped.
3. Verebral Foramen: Circular in thoracic Vertebrae and Triangular in Lumbar.
4. Thoracic Vertebra articulate with the ribs and via the ribs to the sternum. They are therefore much less mobile and less likely to develop degenerative osteoarthritis. They have 6 additional facets on them which the lumbar do not have. 2 hemi-facets on each side of the body (total 4) for articulation with its own rib and with the rib below and a facet on each transverse process (total 2) for articulation with the tubercle of its own rib.
5. The zygapohyseal joints (joints between articular facets) of the thoracic vertebra are directed vertically so they limit flexion and extension but allow rotation. The zygapophyseal joints of lumbar vertebra are circular and the articular processes interlock thereby limiting rotation and indeed flexion and extension. However a fair amount of flexion and extension does take place.
6. Combined together, the thoracic vertebra give the thoracic spine a concave curvature anteriorly whereas the lumbar vertebra produce a lordosis (convex anteriorly)
7. The L5 or lowermost lumbar vertebra has massive transverse processes for attachment of the iliolumbar ligaments which connect the lumbar spine to the pelvis.
Which part of the spine is the thoracic spine?
There are three parts of the spine, the cervical, thoracic and lumbar. Each vertebrae is listed by its number. For example the first 7 vertebrae (from the top) are listed as C1-C7 meaning C for cervical. The thoracic vertebrae starts after C7, the 8th vertebrae is T1-T12, so there is 12 individual vertebraes in the thoracic spine. After the thoracic, is the lumbar which have 5 individual vertebrae, L1-L5.
Can a human have more than 5 Lumbar vertebrae?
Yes. The human spine is made up of three parts, the cervical spine(neck), the thoracic(middle), and the lumbar (lower back). The lumbar consists of 5 vertebrae in the average adult human, but may also only have 4 or 6 vertebrae depending on the individual, although this is not as common. There can be sacralization of the 5th lower lumbar resulting in only 4 lumber vertebrae, or a vertebrae of the sacrum where the individual has…
What are the thoracic vertebrae?
The 12 thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. They are intermediate in size between those of the cervical and lumbar regions; they increase in size as one proceeds down the spine, the upper vertebrae being much smaller than those in the lower part of the region. They are distinguished by the presence of facets on the sides of the bodies for articulation with…
What are the three sections of the backbone?
The normal anatomy of the spine is usually described by dividing up the spine into 3 major sections: the cervical, the thoracic, and the lumbar spine. (Below the lumbar spine is a bone called the sacrum, which is part of the pelvis). Each section is made up of individual bones called vertebrae. There are 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, and 5 lumbar vertebrae. Anatomy of the Spine
What is the difference between lumbar and thoracic vertebra?
thoracic are the middle twelve vertebrae after the first seven cervical vertebrae. They do not have the transverse foramen of the cervical vertebrea. Thoracic vertebrae all articulate with ribs, therefore they have a transverse coastal facet for the tubercle of the rib. Lumbar vertebrae are the five massive ones above the sacrum. Note the word massive. They are thick and have stout spinous processes. Everything on them is thicker and stouter than any of the…