Anterior longitudinal ligament
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| Ligament: Anterior longitudinal ligament | ||
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| Median sagittal section of two lumbar vertebræ and their ligaments. (Anterior longitudinal ligament runs vertically at center left.) | ||
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| Anterior atlantoöccipital membrane and atlantoaxial ligament. (Anterior longitudinal ligament runs vertically at bottom center.) | ||
| Latin | ligamentum longitudinale anterius | |
| Gray's | subject #72 288 | |
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| Dorlands/Elsevier | l_09/12492521 | |
The anterior longitudinal ligament is a ligament that runs down the anterior surface of the spine. It traverses all of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs.
It is thick on narrow on the body of the vertebrae compared to when it crosses the intervertebral discs, when it is thinner and wider.
The functional importance of this is that it needs to resist displacement of the vertebrae which requires strong forces, compared when crossing the IVDs it is required to hold the disc in place, hence wide and thin.
Across the cervical and lumbar spines it is thin and wide, compared to the thoracic spine in between which is thicker and narrower. The ligament actually has three layers: superficial, intermediate and deep.
The superficial layer traverses 3 – 4 vertebrae, the intermediate layer covers 2 – 3 and the deep layer is only between individual vertebrae.
[edit] Additional images
 Median sagittal section through the occipital bone and first three cervical vertebræ. |
 Costovertebral articulations. Anterior view. |
[edit] External links
- Atlas of anatomy at UMich back_bone25 - "Vertebral Column, Dissection, Anterior & Posterior Views"
- GPnotebook 1127546937
- Norman/Georgetown lesson7
- Diagram at spineuniverse.com
| Joints and ligaments of torso |
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| articulations of vertebral bodies: anterior longitudinal ligament - posterior longitudinal ligament
articulations of vertebral arches : ligamenta flava - supraspinous ligament (nuchal ligament) - interspinal ligament - intertransverse ligament zygapophyseal joint - intervertebral disc costovertebral, articulation of head of rib: radiate ligament - interarticular ligament, costotransverse sternocostal, interchondral, costochondral articulation of the vertebral column with the pelvis: iliolumbar ligament sacroiliac: anterior sacroiliac ligament - posterior sacroiliac ligament - interosseous sacroiliac ligament ligaments connecting the sacrum and ischium: sacrotuberous ligament - sacrospinous ligament sacrococcygeal symphysis: anterior sacrococcygeal ligament - posterior sacrococcygeal ligament pubic symphysis: superior pubic ligament - inferior pubic ligament |
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