lordosis
/lɔːˈdəʊsɪs
/noun [mass noun]
1 Medicine Excessive inward curvature of the spine. Compare with kyphosis.Participants who find their backs are excessively arched may find it easier to place their feet on the edge of the bench, which will help to reduce their lordosis....
- The Thomas test will help to identify the presence of a hip flexion contracture by eliminating the effects of excessive lumbar lordosis on the perceived extension of the hip.
- A side view of a normal spinal column demonstrates reciprocal curves, beginning with cervical lordosis and then lumbar lordosis.
1.1A posture assumed by some female mammals during mating, in which the back is arched downward.These hormonal effects have been demonstrated most clearly for reproductive behaviors, such as the mounting of female animals by males and the receptive lordosis posture adopted by females in response to these mounts....
- The expression of the lordosis posture is under tonic inhibition by brain nuclei whose activity is suppressed by steroid hormones from the preovulatory follicles.
- The limitation is, particularly in female mice, is all you can study is lordosis, or the posturing of the female mouse receptive to male sexual function.
Derivatives
lordotic
- The lateral view provides a good image of the vertebral bodies, facet joints, lordotic curves, disc space height, and intervertebral foramen.
- Since the lumbar lordotic curvature is maximal in this midline area, the midline retroperitoneal structures lie far forward and are very accessible.
- Radiographs may show pre-existing degenerative changes or a slight flattening of the lordotic curvature of the neck.
Origin
Early 18th century: modern Latin, from Greek lordōsis, from lordos 'bent backwards'.