Lumbar Vertebrae

The lumbar vertebrae are the five vertebrae which are below the thoracic vertebrae and above the fused vertebrae of the sacrum. The lumbar vertebrae feature no facets on the body or transverse processes (as the thoracic vertebrae have) and the bodies of the lumbar vertebrae are much larger than those of the cervical or thoracic vertebrae. The vertebral foramen is usually triangular, while the spinous process points backward and is rectangular or hatchet-shaped. The transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae (which also represent their rib elements) lack the foramina which characterize the cervical vertebrae. The large body of each lumbar vertebra bears the weight of the vertebrae above it (and the skull), while the arch serves to create a canal-like area along the spine to house and protect the spinal cord.