Vertebral morphology influences the development of Schmorl's nodes in the lower thoracic vertebrae

Schmorl's nodes are the result of herniations of the nucleus pulposus into the adjacent vertebral body and are commonly identified in both clinical and archaeological contexts. The current study aims to identify aspects of vertebral shape that correlate with Schmorl's nodes. Two‐dimensional statistical shape analysis was performed on digital images of the lower thoracic spine (T10–T12) of adult skeletons from the late medieval skeletal...