Authors:
Alexander Tsouknidas
1
;
Savvas Savvakis
2
;
Nikolaos Tsirelis
2
;
Antonios Lontos
3
and
Nikolaos Michailidis
4
Affiliations:
1
Fredereick University and Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki, Cyprus
;
2
BETA CAE Systems S.A, Greece
;
3
Fredereick University, Cyprus
;
4
Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Keyword(s):
Lumbar Spine, Non-linear FEA, Critical Stress Development.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Agents
;
Artificial Intelligence
;
Bioinformatics
;
Biomedical Engineering
;
Enterprise Information Systems
;
Information Systems Analysis and Specification
;
Methodologies and Technologies
;
Model Design and Evaluation
;
Operational Research
;
Simulation
;
Structural Bioinformatics
Abstract:
In this paper a highly detailed model of an adult lumbar spine (L1-L5) was recreated based on Computed Tomography. Next to the viscoelastic deformation of the intervertebral discs, cortical and cancellous bone anisotropy was considered, while seven types of ligaments were simulated either by solid or cable elements. The dynamic behaviour of the spine segment was assessed through stress-strain curves, provoking a non-linear response of all implicated tissues’ material properties. The model was subjected to dynamic loading to determine abnormalities in the anatomy’s stress equilibrium that could provoke gait disturbances. Results indicated the introduced methodology as an effective alternative to in vitro investigations, capable of providing valuable insight on critical movements and loads of potential patients, as the model can be employed to optimize therapeutic training or threshold kinematics of any given lumbar spine pathology.