Posterolateral view of the lumbar spine

Bones of the Lumbar Spine and Pelvis

The low back is defined by the lumbar spine, composed of 5 vertebrae, named L1-L5. The pelvis is defined by the bones of the pelvic girdle.

posterior glide / translation motion of the spine

Motions of the Cervical Spine

Table 1 shows average healthy ranges of axial motion of the cervical spine (head and neck), from the atlanto-occipital joint through the C7-T1 joint.

cervical spinal joints - posterolateral view of the atlanto-occipital joint

Cervical Spinal Joints

The disc joint is a cartilaginous joint that is composed of outer fibers called the annulus fibrosus that encircle the inner nucleus pulposus.

extension mobilization stretch for the thoracic spine on an exercise ball

The Thoracic Spine… The Silent Saboteur

There is an old saying that no posture is bad unless you get stuck in it. The problem is that the thoracic spine often does get stuck in bad posture.