Lordosis is described as which of the following?

Lordosis is described as which of the following?

• A. Excessive outward curvature of the thoracic spine
• B. Abnormal posterior curvature of the spine
• C. Abnormal anterior curvature of the lumbar spine (sway-back)
• D. Lateral curvature of the spine

Answer: (C)

Lordosis is an inward (anterior) curve of the spine in the lumbar region. When the lower back curves toward the abdomen, that is lumbar lordosis, sometimes described colloquially as sway-back. This differs from kyphosis, an excessive outward (posterior) curvature of the thoracic spine, and from scoliosis, a sideways (lateral) curvature. So describing an abnormal anterior curvature of the lumbar spine precisely matches lordosis.

Lordosis is an inward (anterior) curve of the spine in the lumbar region. When the lower back curves toward the abdomen, that is lumbar lordosis, sometimes described colloquially as sway-back. This differs from kyphosis, an excessive outward (posterior) curvature of the thoracic spine, and from scoliosis, a sideways (lateral) curvature. So describing an abnormal anterior curvature of the lumbar spine precisely matches lordosis.