I Have An Extra Vertebra. What Can I Do About it?

Sarah Key Bite Size On Backs

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I Have An Extra Vertebra. What Can I Do About it?

The congenital condition known as 'lumbarisation' is where the first sacral segment of the normally fused sacrum is instead mobile, in effect giving you 6 lumbar vertebrae instead of 5.

Sarah Key

Nov 28, 2024

Transcript

Sacralisation is the opposite disorder, where your bottom lumbar segment (L5) is congenitally fused and part of the sacrum. You are then said to have one fewer lumbar vertebra (only four instead of five).

Just to complicate matters, both sacralisation and lumbarisation may be asymmetric, meaning that it is fused on one side and loose on the other.

In the patient discussed in this podcast the radiology report notes ‘partial lumbarisation of the first sacral segment’. Thus there is ‘movement’ on the right side of the first sacral segment whereas she is ‘solid’ or fused on the left. As you might imagine, this brings discord to what is normally streamlined spinal movement.

Chapetr 8 of this book discusses in depth all spinal exercises, including Squatting. Available onAmazon

Page 48 of this book discusses lumbarisation and sacralisation. Available on Amazon.

Discussion about this podcast

Sarah Key Bite Size On Backs

Leisurely and discursive, these easy-listening snippets cover everything under the sun about backs and back pain - spinal conditions, diagnoses, spinal therapy and 3-dimensional self help.

By avoiding highfalutin medical jargon I hope to make sense (love that phrase) and to be understood, so it's easier for you to fix yourself.

I have been a practicing physical therapist for several decades and the author of five books on back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders. I will attempt to answer some of your questions submitted in the Comments pane in subsequent podcasts.

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