Journal of biomechanics
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Journal of biomechanics · May 2015
Three-dimensional intervertebral kinematics in the healthy young adult cervical spine during dynamic functional loading.
The objective of this study was to determine the intervertebral kinematics of the young, healthy cervical spine during dynamic, three-dimensional, functional loading. Intervertebral motion was characterized by the range of motion (ROM) and the helical axis of motion (HAM). Biplane radiographs of the cervical spine were collected at 30 images/s as 29 participants (20-35 yr) performed dynamic flexion\extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending. ⋯ During lateral bending, the angle between the HAM and the transverse plane progressively increased from the C6-C7 motion segment (approximately ±22°) to the C3-C4 motion segment (approximately ±40°). During axial rotation, the angle between the transverse plane and the HAM was approximately ±42° at the C3-C4 through C5-C6 motion segments, and approximately ±32° at the C6-C7 motion segment. This study provides valuable reference data for evaluating the effects of age, degeneration, and surgical procedures on cervical spine kinematics during three-dimensional dynamic functional loading.
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Journal of biomechanics · Feb 2015
On the relationship between tibia torsional deformation and regional muscle contractions in habitual human exercises in vivo.
The mechanical relationship between bone and muscle has been long recognized. However, it still remains unclear how muscles exactly load on bone. In this study, utilizing an optical segment tracking technique, the in vivo tibia loading regimes in terms of tibia segment deformation in humans were investigated during walking, forefoot and rear foot stair ascent and running and isometric plantar flexion. ⋯ To conclude, bending and torsion predominated the tibia loading regimes during the investigated activities. Tibia torsional deformation is closely related to calf muscle contractions, which further confirm the notion of the muscle-bone mechanical link and shift the focus from loading magnitude to loading regimes in bone mechanobiology. It thus is speculated that torsion is another, yet under-rated factor, besides the compression and tension, to drive long bone mechano-adaptation.
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Journal of biomechanics · Feb 2015
Comparative StudyQuantitative measures of sagittal plane head-neck control: a test-retest reliability study.
Determining the reliability of measurements used to quantify head-neck motor control is necessary before they can be used to study the effects of injury or treatment interventions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the within- and between-day reliability of position tracking, position stabilization and force tracking tasks to quantify head-neck motor control. Ten asymptomatic subjects performed these tasks on two separate days. ⋯ ICCs for the position and force tracking tasks were all ≥0.93. For position stabilization, ICCs for RMSE and mean bandpass signal energy were 0.66 and 0.72, respectively. Measures of sagittal plane head-neck motor control using position tracking, position stabilization and force tracking tasks were demonstrated to be reliable.
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Journal of biomechanics · Jan 2015
Altered helical axis patterns of the lumbar spine indicate increased instability with disc degeneration.
Although the causes of low back pain are poorly defined and indistinct, degeneration of the intervertebral disc is most often implicated as the origin of pain. The biochemical and mechanical changes associated with degeneration result in the discs' inability to maintain structure and function, leading to spinal instability and ultimately pain. Traditionally, a clinical exam assessing functional range-of-motion coupled with T2-weighted MRI revealing disc morphology are used to evaluate spinal health; however, these subjective measures fail to correlate well with pain or provide useful patient stratification. ⋯ Increased instability and out-of-plane rotation with diminished disc health was observed during lateral bending, but not flexion-extension. This new analysis strategy examines the entire pathway of motion, rather than simplifying spinal kinematics to its terminal ends of motion and provides a more sensitive kinematic measurement of disc health. Ultimately, through the use of 3D dynamic fluoroscopy or similar methods, a patient's functional IHA in lateral bending may be measured and used to assess their disc health for diagnosis, progression tracking, and treatment evaluation.