The |lumbar vertebrae| are the five vertebrae which are below the |thoracic vertebrae| and above the fused |vertebrae| of the |sacrum|. The |lumbar vertebrae| feature no ~facets~ on the body or |transverse processes| (as the |thoracic vertebrae| have) and the bodies of the |lumbar vertebrae| are much larger than those of the cervical or |thoracic vertebrae|. The vertebral ~foramen~ is usually triangular, while the |spinous process| points backward and is rectangular or hatchet-shaped. The |transverse processes| of the |lumbar vertebrae| (which also represent their |rib| elements) lack the foramina which characterize the |cervical vertebrae|. The large body of each lumbar vertebra bears the weight of the |vertebrae| above it (and the |skull|), while the arch serves to create a canal-like area along the |spine| to house and protect the |spinal cord|.
