Interspinous ligaments

Looks like

Thin sheets of fibres filling the gaps between neighbouring spinous processes, the bony bumps down the middle of the back.

What it does

Limit forward bending and help hold the vertebrae together at the back.

Keeping it well

Torn in flexion injuries; a widened gap between spinous processes on imaging suggests an unstable spine.

Related conditions

• Axial spondyloarthritis
• Bone metastases and spinal cord compression
• Gout
• Haemophilia & bleeding disorders
• Lyme disease
• Marfan syndrome & connective tissue disorders
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatic fever & rheumatic heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Scoliosis
• Spina bifida & neural tube defects
• Spinal cord injury
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Temporomandibular joint disorder