Laminectomy: A surgical procedure in which the posterior arch of a vertebra is removed. Laminectomy is done to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or on the nerve roots that emerge from the spinal canal. The procedure may be used to treat a slipped or herniated disk or to treat spinal stenosis.

Ligament: A band of fibrous tissue that connects bone to bone or bone to cartilages, serving to support and strengthen joints while limiting their excursion.

Long-lever manipulation: Method of spinal manipulation in which a general technique is used to stretch or loosen several vertebrae at a time. The technique is less specific than an adjustment.

Lordosis: The anatomical term for the forward facing spinal curves in the neck (cervical spine), measuring 42 degrees; or the low back (lumbar spine) measuring 40 degrees. Degrees represented are the optimal measurements…a curve of 34 to 42 degrees in the neck can be considered normal. Hyper-lordosis, measuring over 45 degrees in the low back, is often referred to as “swayback”.

Lumbar: Pertaining to the structures of the low back. There are 5 lumbar vertebral segments in the normal spine, but congenital variants do occur and either 4 or 6 lumbar vertebra can be present.