Citation

Park WM, Kim K, Kim YH. Comput. Biol. Med. 2013; 43(9): 1234-1240.

Affiliation

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.compbiomed.2013.06.011

PMID

23930818

Abstract

The effects of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration on biomechanics of the lumbar spine were analyzed. Finite element models of the lumbar spine with various degrees of IVD degeneration at the L4-L5 functional spinal unit (FSU) were developed and validated. With progression of degeneration, intersegmental rotation at the degenerated FSU decreased in flexion-extension and left-right lateral bending, intradiscal pressure at the adjacent FSUs increased in flexion and lateral bending, and facet joint forces at the degenerated FSU increased in lateral bending and axial rotation. These results could provide fundamental information for understanding the mechanism of injuries caused by IVD degeneration.

Language: en