During lateral bending at C5 to the left, the vertebral body rotates to which side?

• A. opposite side
• B. no rotation
• C. same side
• D. rotation on the opposite plane

Answer: (C)

In the mid-cervical spine, lateral bending to one side is coupled with rotation to the same side. So when you laterally bend at C5 to the left, the vertebral body rotates to the left. This ipsilateral coupling comes from how the facet joints and uncovertebral joints guide movement: the left facet joints glide to allow the leftward bend and the vertebral body's rotation occurs toward that same side. The other options don’t fit because opposite-side rotation is a different coupling pattern seen in other regions, pure lateral flexion without rotation isn’t typical in the cervical spine, and the idea of rotation on an unrelated plane isn’t how cervical coupling is described.