Medically reviewed by Jennifer Steinhoff, MD Key Takeaways The lumbar spine includes five vertebrae that help with mobility and stability.Lumbar vertebrae are larger because they carry the load from ...

One of the more common surgical interventions for people with a certain severity of low back pain is called an intervertebral (spinal) fusion. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: ...

Facet arthropathy is another name for osteoarthritis in your facet joints. It's a type of arthritis in the facet joints of your spine. These joints allow you to turn and bend your spine and are ...

Lumbar retrolisthesis is when parts of your backbone are slipping backward on one another. Although this condition generally causes few symptoms, there’s evidence that lumbar retrolisthesis can lead ...

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that fuses (attaches) two or more vertebrae together. It’s usually done to reduce pain and improve the stability of the spine. While it can be a helpful procedure ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Richard Menger is a neurosurgeon and a political scientist. A post-operative x-ray showing a spinal deformity correction for ...

Spinal tumors can begin in and around the spine or spread from another location. There are many types of spinal tumors, which can be cancerous or noncancerous. Spinal tumors develop when cells in or ...