Anat Cell Biol.  2012 Dec;45(4):274-281. 10.5115/acb.2012.45.4.274.

Vertebral osteophyte of pre-modern Korean skeletons from Joseon tombs

• Kim DK
• Kim MJ
• Kim YS
• Oh CS
• Shin DH

• KMID: 2133913
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2012.45.4.274

Abstract

Spinal osteophytic changes are known to be affected by differences in age, sex, population, and mechanical stress. We examined Joseon skeletons (n=87) to obtain vertebral osteophytosis data on a pre-modern Korean population. The mean osteophytic value (MOV) of vertebrae increased in the cervical-thoracic-lumbar order. More severe osteophytosis was found in the vertebrae (C5, T9, T10, and L4) farthest from the line of gravity, while the general pattern of vertebral osteophytosis appeared similar to those of previous reports on other skeletal series. More severe osteophytes were much more common in the males, possibly due to their engaging in more strenuous physical labor than that of females. We also observed MOV patterns seemingly unique to the Joseon people, and findings not typically reported in previous studies. Although a full explanation of the factors contributing to vertebral-osteophytic development in Joseon Koreans will require further studies, the present results are meaningful to anatomists and anthropologists interested in osteophytic patterns occurring in an East Asian population.

Keyword

Osteophyte; Korea; Joseon Dynasty; Spine; Mean osteophytic value

MeSH Terms

Anatomists
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Female
Gravitation
Humans
Korea
Male
Osteophyte
Skeleton
Spine
Stress, Mechanical

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Examples of osteophyte grading in this study. Lumbar vertebrae in (A-E) represent grades 0-4 respectively. (A) Grade 0: no indication of osteophytosis. (B) Grade 1: an osteophyte with slight lipping (indicated by arrow) on the margin. (C) Grade 2: more lipping (arrow) visible on the margins. (D) Grade 3: advanced lipping with the free end curving in the direction of the closest intervertebral space (indicated by arrow). (E) Grade 4: osteophytes of two or more adjacent vertebrae fused together.

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  Fig. 2 (A) Mean osteophytic value in cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae of Joseon skeletons. (B) Mean osteophytic value at a glance from the cervical to lumbar spine.

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  Fig. 3 Mean osteophytic value of Joseon skeletons at each spine by sex.

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  Fig. 4 Mean osteophytic value in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines by age group. *P<0.05.

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  Fig. 5 (A) A-frame (Jige in Korean) traditionally used in premodern Korean society. (B) As a heavy burden could be carried using an A-frame, a heavy, strenuous load (indicated by arrow) occurred on the thoracic vertebrae.

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