Euler stability of the human ligamentous lumbar spine, II: experiment

wbldb

Crisco, J. J.¹; Panjabi, M. M.¹; Yamamoto, I.²; Oxland, T. R.¹

Euler stability of the human ligamentous lumbar spine, II: experiment

Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). February 1992;7(1):27-32

©1992 Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd

Affiliations

¹Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

²Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
Abstract and keywords

The lateral backing and postbuckling behaviour of the intact and injured whole human lumbar spine was experimentally studied using six fresh cadaveric specimens. The ligamentous lumbar spine was loaded in axial compression and the lateral rotation of each vertebra was recorded. At the point of the load application, the most superior vertebrae, the specimens were constrained to move in the frontal plane since sagittal plane buckling will not occur due to the lumbar lordosis. The average load required to buckle an intact whole lumbar specimen was 88 N, and significantly decreased with injury. Once the spines had buckled, the postbuckling behaviour was recorded. These results were compared to theoretical predictions of a model (see Part I). The model was demonstrated to be in excellent agreement with the experimental results.

Relevance: Demonstrated to behave as an Euler column, the ligamentous lumbar spine is unstable in lateral bending under loads less than bodyweight. This reinforces the vital role of the neuromuscular system and the dramatic effect its failure can have.

Keywords: Euler stability; lumbar spine; model
Links

DOI: 10.1016/0268-0033(92)90004-N

PubMed: 23915613

WoS: A1992HA18900003
History

Received: 1990-11-19

Accepted: 1991-04-25

Cited Works (3)

Year	Entry
1989	Crisco JJ III. The Biomechanical Stability of the Human Lumbar Spine: Experimental and Theoretical Investigations [PhD thesis]. Yale University; May 1989.
1990	Crisco JJ III, Panjabi MM. Postural biomechanical stability and gross muscular architecture in the spine. In: Winters JM, Woo SL-Y, eds. Multiple Muscle Systems: Biomechanics and Movement Organization. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag; 1990:438-450.
1966	Nachemson A. The load on lumbar disks in different positions of the body. Clin Orthop Relat Res. March–March 1966;45:107-122.

Cited By (37)

Year	Entry
2004	Mechanical Vibration and Shock: Evaluation of Human Exposure to Whole-Body Vibration, V: Method for Evaluation of Vibration Containing Multiple Shocks. ISO Standard ISO 2631-5. [ISO Standard thesis]. Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Standardization; 2004.
2015	Siegmund GP, Chimich DD, Elkin BS. Role of muscles in accidental injury. In: Yoganandan N, Nahum AM, Melvin JW, eds. Accidental Injury: Biomechanics and Prevention. 3rd ed. New York: Springer; 2015:611-642.
2024	Burns MR, Caldwell AJ, Sochor SH, Shin J, Hanggi CJ, Gepner B, Kerrigan JR. Lumbar spine mechanical response to combined flexion and compression in post-mortem human subjects. In: Proceedings of the 2024 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2024; Stockholm, Sweden.392-419.
1996	Cholewicki J, McGill SM. Mechanical stability of the in vivo lumbar spine: implications for injury and chronic low back pain. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). January 1996;11(1):1-15.
1998	Panjabi MM, Cholewicki J, Nibu K, Grauer J, Babat LB, Dvorak J. Critical load of the human cervical spine: an in vitro experimental study. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). January 1998;13(1):11-17.
1997	McGill SM. The biomechanics of low back injury: implications on current practice in industry and the clinic. J Biomech. May 1997;30(5):465-475.
2020	Castelein RM, Pasha S, Cheng JCY, Dubousset J. Idiopathic scoliosis as a rotatory decompensation of the spine. J Bone Miner Res. October 2020;35(10):1850-1857.
1999	Patwardhan AG, Havey RM, Meade KP, Lee B, Dunlap B. A follower load increases the load-carrying capacity of the lumbar spine in compression. Spine. May 15, 1999;24(10):1003-1009.
2015	Oxland TR. A history of spine biomechanics: focus on 20th century progress. Unfallchirurg. December 2015;118(suppl 1):80-92.
2011	Soltys JS. The Role of the Central Nervous System in the Integration of Proprioceptive Information [PhD thesis]. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas; 2011.
2011	Arora N. Effect of Whole Body Vibration Exposure on the Spinal Muscle Reactions and Kinematic Responses in Sitting Posture [Master's thesis]. Sudbury, ON: Laurentian University; 2011.
2006	Esat V. Biomechanical Modelling of the Whole Human Spine for Dynamic Analysis [PhD thesis]. Loughborough University; June 2006.
1997	Duncan NA. The Mechanics of Curve Progression in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis [PhD thesis]. McGill University; February 1997.
2020	El-Monajjed K. Implementation of a Virtual Reality Module for Gaining Surgical Access Via Planned Oblique Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion [PhD thesis]. McGill University; December 2020.
2011	Holmes MWR. A Biomechanical Evaluation of Ligament and Muscular Stiffness in the Distal Upper Extremity [PhD thesis]. Hamilton, ON: McMaster University; June 2011.
2005	Shin G. Viscoelastic Responses of the Lumbar Spine During Prolonged Stooping [PhD thesis]. North Carolina State University; 2005.
2009	Navalgund AR. Evaluating the Effect of a 10-Week Stabilization Exercise Program on the Postural Stability and the Neuromuscular Control of the Spine in Subjects With Subacute Recurrent Low Back Pain [PhD thesis]. The Ohio State University; 2009.
2017	Raabe ME. The Effect of Core Stability on Running Mechanics in Novice Runners [PhD thesis]. The Ohio State University; 2017.
2006	Arjmand N. Computational Biomechanics of the Human Spine in Static Lifting Tasks [PhD thesis]. École polytechnique de Montréal; October 2006.
2007	Bazrgari B. Biodynamic of the Human Spine [PhD thesis]. École polytechnique de Montréal; February 2007.
2014	El Ouaaid Z. L'effet des charges externes sur la biomécanique et la stabilité de la colonne vertébrale en posture debout [PhD thesis]. École polytechnique de Montréal; July 2014.
2019	Ghezelbash F. Subject-Specific Computational Musculoskeletal Modeling of Human Trunk in Lifting: Role of Age, Sex, Body Weight and Body Height [PhD thesis]. École polytechnique de Montréal; December 2019.
2007	Saari A. Spinal Cord Deformation During Axial Impact Injury of the Cervical Spine [Master's thesis]. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia; January 2007.
2008	Apperley S. Differential Functioning of Deep and Superficial Lumbar Multifidus Fibres During Vertebral Indentation Perturbations [Master's thesis]. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia; June 2008.
2019	Fice JB. Neuromechanics of Neck Muscles: Implications for Whiplash Injury [PhD thesis]. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia; April 2019.
2009	Metzger MF. Evaluation of Spinal Reconstructive Surgeries Using Multi-Body System Dynamics [PhD thesis]. San Francisco, University of California; 2009.
2011	Moody DA. A Quantification of Deep Core Trunk Muscles Impact on Lumbar Lordosis and Spine Stability [PhD thesis]. San Francisco, University of California; 2011.
2019	Norrie JP. Spine Intersegmental Flexion and Muscular Responses to Sudden Loading At the Hands Altered by Cognitive Dual-Tasking and Abdominal Bracing [Master's thesis]. University of Guelph; December 2019.
2012	Vette A-H. Trunk Stability During Postural Control: Tool Development and Analysis [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2012.
1993	Cholewicki J. Mechanical Stability of the in Vivo Lumbar Spine [PhD thesis]. University of Waterloo; 1993.
2002	Grenier SG. Stabilization Strategies of the Lumbar Spine in Vivo [PhD thesis]. University of Waterloo; 2002.
2006	Howarth SJ. Locating Instability in the Lumbar Spine: Characterizing the Eigenvector [Master's thesis]. University of Waterloo; 2006.
2008	Brown SHM. Examining the Neuromuscular and Mechanical Characteristics of the Abdominal Musculature and Connective Tissues: Implications for Stiffening the Lumbar Spine [PhD thesis]. University of Waterloo; 2008.
2016	Balkovec C. Intervertebral Disc Height Loss and Restoration: Outcomes and Implications [PhD thesis]. University of Waterloo; 2016.
2020	Fewster KM. Exploring Low to Moderate Velocity Motor Vehicle Rear Impacts as a Viable Injury Mechanism in the Lumbar Spine [PhD thesis]. University of Waterloo; 2020.
1992	Oxland TR. Burst Fractures of the Human Thoracolumbar Spine: A Biomechanical Investigation [PhD thesis]. New Haven, CT: Yale University; May 1992.
2007	Reeves NP. Tuning-Out Instability: The Importance of Feedback Control in the Spine [PhD thesis]. Yale University; December 2007.