European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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A new in vivo rabbit model was developed to investigate the effects of shear force on intervertebral disc (IVD). ⋯ The results of this study suggest that disc degeneration can be induced by hyper-physiological shear loading in the rabbit IVD. Long-term shear loading may result in structural disc failure inducing lumbar spondylolisthesis and progressive disc degeneration, which, however, has to be proven by further studies.