September 1, 2013Volume 43, Issue 9, Pages 1234–1240
Effects of degenerated intervertebral discs on intersegmental rotations, intradiscal pressures, and facet joint forces of the whole lumbar spine
Won Man Park, Kyungsoo Kim, Yoon Hyuk Kim
October 26, 2012; Accepted: June 18, 2013
Abstract
The effects of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration on biomechanics of the lumbar spine were analyzed. Finite element models of the lumbar spine with various degrees of IVD degeneration at the L4-L5 functional spinal unit (FSU) were developed and validated. With progression of degeneration, intersegmental rotation at the degenerated FSU decreased in flexion–extension and left–right lateral bending, intradiscal pressure at the adjacent FSUs increased in flexion and lateral bending, and facet joint forces at the degenerated FSU increased in lateral bending and axial rotation. These results could provide fundamental information for understanding the mechanism of injuries caused by IVD degeneration.