Interspinous ligament

Interspinous ligament

Median sagittal section of two lumbar vertebrae and their ligaments (interspinous ligament visible at center right)
Details
From Spinous process of vertebra
To Spinous process of vertebra
Identifiers
Latin Ligamenta interspinalia
Dorlands
/Elsevier
l_09/12492445
TA A03.2.01.002
FMA 71392

Anatomical terminology

The interspinous ligaments (interspinal ligaments) are thin and membranous ligaments, that connect adjoining spinous processes of the vertebra in the spine.[1][2][3] They extend from the root to the apex of each spinous process. They meet the ligamenta flava in front and blend with the supraspinous ligament behind.[2]

The ligaments are narrow and elongated in the thoracic region, broader, thicker, and quadrilateral in form in the lumbar region, and only slightly developed in the neck.[1] In the neck they are often considered part of the nuchal ligament.[2]

The function of the interspinous ligaments is to limit flexion of the spine.[2]

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. 1 2 "Gray, Henry. 1918. Anatomy of the Human Body". Bartleby.com. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Interspinous ligaments". AnatomyExpert. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  3. "interspinal ligament". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 30 March 2013.

External links

Interspinous ligaments on AnatomyExpert.com


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