Clinical biomechanics
-
Clinical biomechanics · Nov 2007
The risk of disc prolapses with complex loading in different degrees of disc degeneration - a finite element analysis.
Disc prolapses can result from various complex load situations and degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc. The aim of this finite element study was to find load combinations that would lead to the highest internal stresses in a healthy and in degenerated discs. ⋯ The results support how specifically changes associated with disc degeneration might contribute to risk of prolapse. Thus, the highest risk of prolapses can be found for healthy and mildly degenerated discs.
-
Clinical biomechanics · Nov 2007
Can activity within the external abdominal oblique be measured using real-time ultrasound imaging?
Differences in the function of the anterolateral abdominal muscles have been the subject of much investigation, but primarily using electromyography. Recently changes in thickness of transversus abdominis and internal oblique measured from real-time ultrasound images have been shown to represent activity within these muscles. However it is still unclear if such a change in thickness in external oblique similarly represents activity within that muscle. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between change in thickness and muscle activity in the external oblique using real-time ultrasound and surface electromyography. ⋯ Thickness changes of external oblique can be used as a valid indicator of electromyography activity during isometric trunk rotation, though the relationship is not as good as previously published data for transversus abdominis. Thickness changes of external oblique measured during lower abdominal drawing in cannot be used to detect activity within this muscle.