Experimental measurements of lumbar spine biomechanics to validate a finite element model of the lumbar spine

Knowledge of the loading of particular elements of a spinal motion segment will provide increased understanding of the mechanics of degeneration of aspects of the spine. Techniques were developed for the measurement of facet forces, ligament forces, and segment motion of human spine segments. Two adult human lumbar spine specimens (L1-L2) were tested under different load states. At each applied load the facet load, longitudinal ligament load, and vertebral body motion were computed from the sensor data.; Finite element models show promise for aiding understanding of spinal behavior. A useful model must be verified experimentally before used to make predictions. A three-dimensional finite element model of a human lumbar spine motion segment was created. Some properties were adjusted to obtain agreement between the model predictions and in vitro experimental results. Results show this verified finite element model could predict specific parameters within 21 percent of experimental data.