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Study Design.

A biomechanical and anatomic study with human cadaveric lumbar spine.

Objectives.

The purpose of this study is to examine the morphologic changes in the intervertebral foramen during flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation of the lumbar spine and to correlate these changes with the flexibility of the spinal motion segments.

Summary of Background Data.

Previous studies showed morphologic changes in the intervertebral foramen during flexion and extension; however, those changes during lateral bending and axial rotation were not well known.

Methods.

There were 81 motion segments obtained from 39 human cadaveric lumbar spines (mean age 69 years). The motion segments were imaged with CT scanner with 1-mm thick consecutive sections. For biomechanical testing each motion segment was applied with incremental pure moments of flexion, extension, lateral bending, and …