Kinematics of the equine thoracolumbar spine

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Abstract
At least 3 types of movement take place in the joint complexes of the equine thoracolumbar spine: dorsoventral flexion and extension, axial rotation and lateral bending. Using the standard right-handed Cartesian coordinate system, these movements may be defined as rotation about the x, y and z axes, respectively. Except in cases of intervertebral fusion, all 3 types of movement occur in each joint complex of the equine back. The greatest amount of dorsoventral movement takes place at the lumbosacral and the 1st thoracic intervertebral joints. The greatest amount of axial rotation and lateral bending was measured in the mid-thoracolumbar spine at the level of the 11th or 12th thoracic intervertebral joints. The caudal thoracic and the lumbar spine is the least mobile region of the equine back. In the mid-thoracic spine, lateral bending was always accompanied by a coupled axial rotation. The presence of the rib cage stabilized the cranial thoracic vertebrae against axial rotation.