Anatomical Relations
The supraspinous ligament joins the posterior tips of adjacent spinous processes as far as L3-L4 (Johnson and Zhang, 2002). Inferior to fourth lumbar vertebra, the fibers of the supraspinous ligament are replaced by fibers of latissimus dorsi muscle and connect to the distal tip of the spinous processes.
Related parts of the anatomy
Function
This ligament aids in the stability of the lumbar vertebrae and helps to limit flexion of the vertebral column.
Structure
The supraspinous ligament is composed of three layers, the superficial, intermediate, and deep layers.
The superficial layer has the longest fibers that can extend over several vertebrae (three or four), while the fibers of the intermediate layer extend over two or three vertebrae (Standring, 2016a). The deep layer only extends between adjacent vertebrae and is continuous with the interspinous ligaments. Many fibers of the ligament arise from the tendons of the muscles that attach along the midline.
References
Johnson, G. M. and Zhang, M. (2002) 'Regional differences within the human supraspinous and interspinous ligaments: a sheet plastination study', European Spine Journal, 11(4), pp. 382-388.
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
