Spinal Loading Patterns From Biomechanical Modeling Explain the High Incidence of Vertebral Fractures in the Thoracolumbar Region.

ABSTRACT: Vertebral fractures occur most frequently in the mid-thoracic and thoracolumbar regions of the spine, yet the reasons for this site-specific occurrence are not known. Our working hypothesis is that the locations of vertebral fracture may be explained by the pattern of spine loading, such that during daily activities the mid-thoracic and thoracolumbar regions experience preferentially higher mechanical loading compared to other spine regions. To test this hypothesis, we used a female musculoskeletal model of the full thoracolumbar spine and rib cage to estimate the variation in vertebral compressive loads and associated factor-of-risk (load-to-strength ratio) throughout the spine for 119 activities of daily living, while also parametrically varying spine curvature (high, average, low, and z

SUBMITTER: Bruno AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5466490 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature