Spine check off Lumbar

Question 1

what structure is responsible for the audible pops when hear during manipulations of the spine?

Answer 1

the facet joints

Question 2

what are the 3 zones of the lumbar spine in the vertical sagittal plane?

Answer 2

vertebral body
pedicles, neural foramen
posterior arch

Question 3

what structures compose the posterior arch zone of the lumbar spine?

Answer 3

lamina, facets, TPs, and SPs

Question 4

what muscle attaches to the TPs of the lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 4

QL

Question 5

what type of bone is the vertebral body made up of?

Answer 5

cortical bone on the outside and cancellous/trabecular bone on the inside

Question 6

what portion of the vertebral body is more susceptible to fractures? Why?

Answer 6

the cortical bone because it is more rigid and less flexible as the cancellous/trabecular bone.

Question 7

what is the superior portion of the vertebral body and what is its function?

Answer 7

the endplate. it allows nutrition for the discs to pass thru with compression.

Question 8

what is inside the vertebral body that increases its load-bearing capacity?

Answer 8

Blood

Question 9

what portion of the vertebrae do the nerves exit between?

Answer 9

pedicles

Question 10

which way do the superior facet joint surfaces face? what about the inferior surfaces facet joints?

Answer 10

posterior and anterior.

Question 11

which spinal nerves innervate the L4-L5 facet joint?

Answer 11

L3, L4, L5

Question 12

which motion of the spine increase the compressive load on the facet joints?

Answer 12

extension

Question 13

If a pt has degenerative disc problems, which position of the spine will result in decrease of pain? Why?

Answer 13

extension because it takes some of the load off the discs and puts it on the facet joints

Question 14

explain what pathology forced extension can cause and why

Answer 14

forced extension results in the facet joints impacting the lamina and causes a pars fx

Question 15

what motion is most conducive for people with spinal stenosis and why?

Answer 15

Flexion because it open up the intervertebral foramen

Question 16

which ligament is being pulled taught during flexion? how bout extension?

Answer 16

supra spinous ligament. Anterior longitudinal ligament

Question 17

rate the positions in order of least amount of pressure on the disc to the most:
bending over, deadlifting, sitting neutral, sitting slumped, side lying, lying flat, sitting slumped over while holding a load

Answer 17

lying flat
side lying
standing neutral
sitting
standing with slight bend
sitting slumped
deadlifting
sitting slumped w/ load

Question 18

explain what facet tropism is

Answer 18

the facet joints are supposed to be symmetrical on both sides. Tropism just means that one side of the vertebra has an abnormal angle or shape of the facet surface.

Question 19

for the lumbar spine, what is the best test to determine the source of pain?

Answer 19

injections

Question 20

sensitivity vs specificity. which helps with screening pts and which helps with dx

Answer 20

sensitivity for screening
specificity for dx

Question 21

in general terms, explain the facet orientation throughout the 3 regions of the spine

Answer 21

cervical: horizontal, slight angle. Slightly facing medially
thoracic: closer to vertical. slightly facing laterally
Lumbar: vertical and facing medial

Question 22

explain the make up of the pelvic girdle and sacroiliac joint and the bones that comprise them

Answer 22

the ilium attach to the sacrum. then the ischium attach to the ilium. the pubic bones attach to the ilium and are connected to the other side’s pubic bone by the pubic symphysis

Question 23

which muscles help flexion of the lumbar spine eccentrically?

Answer 23

multifidus and erector spinae

Question 24

which level in the lumbar spine does not normally reverse its curve during flexion?

Answer 24

L5-S1

Question 25

why is prolonged flexion of the spine not a good thing?

Answer 25

because the muscles stop firing and the back is exposed to the creep biomechanics

Question 26

what is the difference between creep and stress relaxation?

Answer 26

creep is constant stress and the tissue does not adapt. Stress relaxation is constant stress but the tissue begins to adapt and experience less deformation.

Question 27

what limits excessive anterior translation in the lumbar spine?

Answer 27

the facet joints