Faculty Collaboration Database

Biomechanics of human thoracic ribs. J Biomech Eng 1998 Feb;120(1):100-4

Date

07/24/1998

Pubmed ID

9675687

DOI

10.1115/1.2834288

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0032006870 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   78 Citations

Abstract

Considerable advances have been made to determine the failure biomechanical properties of the human thoracic spinal column and its components. Except for a few fundamental studies, there is a paucity of such data for the costovertebral elements. The present study was designed to determine the biomechanics of the human thoracic spine ribs from a large population. Seventh and eighth ribs bilaterally were tested from 30 human cadavers using the principles of three-point bending techniques to failure. Biomechanical test parameters included the cross-sectional area (core, marrow, and total), moment of inertia, failure load, deflection, and the Young's elastic modulus. The strength-related results indicated no specific bias with respect to anatomical level and hemisphere (right or left), although the geometry-related variables demonstrated statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the seventh and the eighth ribs. This study offers basic biomechanical information on the ultimate failure and geometric characteristics of the human thoracic spine ribs.

Author List

Yoganandan N, Pintar FA

Authors

Frank 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

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomechanical Phenomena
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Theoretical
Ribs
Tensile Strength
Thoracic Vertebrae
Weight-Bearing