Functional biomechanics of the spine.

Abstract

The exact nature of the mechanisms at work during movement of the human spine are not well understood, nor well defined. The spine supports the torso against loads and allows freedom of motion, within physiologic limits, at the same time. A great deal of information characterizing various attributes of the spine is available. Research has provided values for flexural stiffness, axial compliance, range of motion under various loading modalities, and considerably more. This study will focus not on isolated topics, but rather serve as a broad introduction to the behavior of the spine as a whole.