Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Structural behavior of human lumbar spinal motion segments.

Mack G Gardner-Morse¹, Ian A F Stokes

¹Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Vermont, Stafford Hall, Burlington, VT 05405-0084, USA. mack.gardner-morse@uvm.edu

Journal of Biomechanics

|January 7, 2004

Summary

Increasing axial preload significantly enhances human lumbar spine motion segment stiffness and linearity. These findings offer insights into spinal structural behavior under physiological loads.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

T1ρ and T2* Measurements in Small and Knee-Sized Magnetic Resonance Imaging Phantoms: Effect of Phantom Size and Position Relative to Isocenter.

Osteoarthritis imaging·2025

Same author

Quantitative MRI-measured composition changes despite small mechanical measures in tibiofemoral cartilage of healthy adults under applied load.

Journal of biomechanics·2025

Same author

Tibial and femoral articular cartilage exhibit opposite outcomes for T1ρ and T2* relaxation times in response to acute compressive loading in healthy knees.

Journal of biomechanics·2024

Same author

Risk Factors Associated With a Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury to the Contralateral Knee After Unilateral Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in High School and College Female Athletes: A Prospective Study.

The American journal of sports medicine·2019

Same author

Radiographic-based measurement of tibiofemoral joint space width and magnetic resonance imaging derived articular cartilage thickness are not related in subjects at risk for post traumatic arthritis of the knee.

Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society·2019

Same author

Re: Foresto T, Song I, Kim BS, Lim TH. 2018. Stabilization of the lumbar spine by spinal muscle forces producing compressive follower loads: 3-dimensional computational study.

Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society·2018

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Spinal Mechanics
Orthopedic Research

Background:

Understanding the mechanical properties of the human lumbar spine is crucial for diagnosing and treating spinal disorders.
Previous research has explored spinal segment behavior, but comprehensive analysis under physiological axial preload is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine linearized stiffness matrices for human lumbar spine motion segments.
To evaluate the linearity and hysteresis of these segments under axial preload and a fluid environment.
To represent stiffness matrices as an 'equivalent' structural model for better understanding spinal behavior.

Main Methods:

Mechanical properties of human cadaveric lumbar L2-3 and L4-5 motion segments were measured in six degrees of freedom.

Related Experiment Videos

Specimens were subjected to axial compressive preloads of 0, 250, and 500 N.

Displacements included anterior-posterior, lateral, axial, lateral rotation, flexion-extension, and torsional rotations.

Main Results:

Stiffness, hysteresis area, and load-displacement linearity significantly increased with preload magnitude.
Mean stiffness terms increased by factors of 1.71 and 2.11 with 250 N and 500 N preload, respectively (p<0.01).
Stiffness properties were modeled as an equivalent truss and beam structure, varying with preload.

Conclusions:

Axial preload significantly influences the mechanical properties of lumbar spine motion segments.
The findings provide valuable data for structural analyses of the human lumbar spine.
The equivalent structural model offers insights into the complex behavior of the spine under load.