During thoracic extension, how do the thoracic spinous processes present?

During thoracic extension, how do the thoracic spinous processes present?

• A. Spinous processes will rotate
• B. Spinous processes will approximate
• C. Spinous processes will diverge
• D. Spinous processes will remain unchanged

Answer: (B)

During thoracic extension, the posterior elements move toward the midline, so the spinous processes come closer together (they approximate). The thoracic spinous processes slope downward and, as the spine extends, the vertebral segments tilt backward, causing the tips of adjacent spinous processes to overlap more. They don’t rotate as a group, they don’t diverge, and they aren’t unchanged in extension.

During thoracic extension, the posterior elements move toward the midline, so the spinous processes come closer together (they approximate). The thoracic spinous processes slope downward and, as the spine extends, the vertebral segments tilt backward, causing the tips of adjacent spinous processes to overlap more. They don’t rotate as a group, they don’t diverge, and they aren’t unchanged in extension.