Question

a patient presents to your office with a complaint of low back pain. upon examination you detect a rotation restriction of l3 around the coronal axis. whats the most likely malposition? a) -θz b) +θy c) -θx d) +θx

Explanation:

Step1: Recall anatomical axes

In anatomical terms, the coronal axis is also known as the frontal axis. Rotation around the coronal axis in the lumbar spine context is related to flexion - extension type movements. Positive rotation around the coronal axis ($+\theta X$) would be extension - like movement and negative rotation ($-\theta X$) would be flexion - like movement.

Step2: Analyze the problem

The patient has a rotation restriction around the coronal axis. In the context of lumbar vertebrae (L3 here), a common malposition related to rotation around the coronal axis is a restriction in normal movement. A common situation is a restriction in extension which is represented by positive rotation around the coronal axis ($+\theta X$).

Answer:

d) +θX