Roussouly Classification

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The Roussouly classification was published in 2005 and is used to categorize the physiological sagittal balance of the lumbar spine into four different types1.

Lordosis type Sacral Slope Description Figure2
Type 1 < 35° Usually associated with a low Pelvic Incidence. The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the center of the L5 vertebral body.
Roussouly Classification Type 1
Type 2 < 35° The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the base of the L4 vertebral body.
Roussouly Classification Type 2
Type 3 35° - 45° The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the center of the L4 vertebral body.
Roussouly Classification Type 3
Type 4 > 45° Associated with a high Pelvic Incidence. The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the base of the L3 vertebral body or higher.
Roussouly Classification Type 4

References

    1. Roussouly, Pierre, et al. "Classification of the normal variation in the sagittal alignment of the human lumbar spine and pelvis in the standing position." Spine 30.3 (2005): 346-353. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩

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    • Text changed: “| Lordosis Type | Sacral Slope |Description | Figure[^1] | | -----------|--|-----------|-------------| | Type 1 | < 35° | Usually associated with a low [Pelvic Incidence](\/lexikon\/pelvic-incidence). The apex of the [lumbar lordosis](\/lexikon\/lumbale-lordose) is located at the center of the L5 vertebral body. | | | Type 2 | < 35° | The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the base of the L4 vertebral body. | | | Type 3 | 35° - 45° | The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the center of the L4 vertebral body. | | | Type 4 | > 45° | Associated with a high Pelvic Incidence. The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the base of the L3 vertebral body or higher. | |”“| Lordosis type | Sacral Slope | Description | Figure[^1] | | -----------|--|-----------|-------------| | Type 1 | < 35° | Usually associated with a low [Pelvic Incidence](\/lexikon\/pelvic-incidence). The apex of the [lumbar lordosis](\/lexikon\/lumbale-lordose) is located at the center of the L5 vertebral body. | | | Type 2 | < 35° | The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the base of the L4 vertebral body. | | | Type 3 | 35° - 45° | The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the center of the L4 vertebral body. | | | Type 4 | > 45° | Associated with a high Pelvic Incidence. The apex of the lumbar lordosis is located at the base of the L3 vertebral body or higher. | |”
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