An experimental technique to induce and quantify complex cyclic forces to the lumbar spine. Neurosurgery 1995 May;36(5):956-64
Date
05/01/1995Pubmed ID
7791988DOI
10.1227/00006123-199505000-00011Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0028967834 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 7 CitationsAbstract
The human spine is a complex, heterogeneous nonlinear and viscoelastic structure. In addition, in vivo loading is not uniaxial. Although many studies on the mechanical behavior of the spine under "pure" forces and single cycle load applications exist, little research is conducted with complex cyclic loads. In this study, we developed a technique to induce and quantify controlled complex physiological loads to the lumbar spinal column under cyclic (chronic) conditions. The methods described include specimen preparation and mounting to induce controlled complex loading (cyclic compression-flexion vector was chosen as an example), instrumentation, and biomechanical data to achieve the objectives. The results indicated that the specimen sustained the external load in a combined compression-flexion mechanism without considerable off-axis forces (lateral shears) and moments (lateral bending and torsion). By mounting the anchoring bolt in appropriate places (such as an anterolateral placement to induce compression-flexion-lateral bending), this technique can be used to apply and continuously quantify complex physiological acute or cyclic loads to describe the biomechanics of the spine. This procedure of inducing complex loads eliminates the difficulty in applying the principles of superposition, using the response from individual "pure" forces to account for the nonlinearity and viscoelasticity of the human lumbar spinal column.
Author List
Yoganandan N, Cusick JF, Pintar FA, Droese K, Voo LAuthors
Joseph F. Cusick MD Adjunct Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of WisconsinFrank A. Pintar PhD Chair, Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Narayan Yoganandan PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Biomechanical PhenomenaHumans
Lumbosacral Region
Periodicity
Physiology
Spine
Weight-Bearing
