Over the past few weeks we’ve explored the lumbar, or lower back, vertebrae. While these don’t protect root nerve bundles like your upper and middle spine, they do bear the weight of almost your entire back above them. They also do protect the largest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve. They are, as such, particularly vulnerable to compression injuries and various conditions related to age, wear and tear. Let’s take a look at each of the lumbar region vertebrae, from the top L1 vertebra through the lowest L5 vertebra, see what function each has, and the dangers of injury for each. L1 Vertebra The L1 vertebra is the highest bone in your lumbar region. It is what is known as a “transitional” vertebra, serving as the point where your thoracic region becomes the lumbar. Injuries to the L1 region are most often related to compression issues, with one of the most common being spondylolisthesis. L2 Vertebra Next down in your spine is the L2 vertebra. At this level, we see in...