Journal of biomechanical engineering
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While the etiology and pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are still not well understood, it is generally recognized that it progresses within a biomechanical process involving asymmetrical loading of the spine and vertebral growth modulation. This study intends to develop a finite element model incorporating vertebral growth and growth modulation in order to represent the progression of scoliotic deformities. The biomechanical model was based on experimental and clinical observations, and was formulated with variables integrating a biomechanical stimulus of growth modulation along directions perpendicular (x) and parallel (y, z) to the growth plates, a sensitivity factor beta to that stimulus and time. ⋯ Similar trends but of lesser magnitude (Sim2) suggests that growth modulation parallel to growth plates tend to counteract the growth modulation effects in longitudinal direction. Overall, the developed model adequately represents the self-sustaining progression of vertebral and spinal scoliotic deformities. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the modeling approach, and compared to other biomechanical studies of scoliosis it achieves a more complete representation of the scoliotic spine.