Human In Vivo Disc Mechanics in Flexion, Extension, and Diurnal Loading With Aging and Degeneration
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Overview
Biomechanical MRI study reveals age-related variations in lumbar disc kinematics under flexion, extension, and diurnal loading in adults aged 18 to 83, suggesting a new baseline for disc pathology.
Key Points
To quantify and evaluate the effects of aging and degeneration on in vivo human lumbar disc mechanics under flexion, extension, and diurnal loading across the adult lifespan.
Evaluated 84 participants evenly distributed by sex and age (ranging from 18 to 83 years old) using repeated MRI across reference and physiological loading states.
Quantified intervertebral disc deformations by measuring changes in wedge angle, anterior-posterior (A-P) shear displacement, and axial strain.
Flexion induced the greatest deformations in the lower lumbar discs of younger participants, shifting toward central lumbar discs with advancing age while maintaining an anterior shear gradient at upper levels and posterior shear at lower levels.
Extension elicited opposite anterior-posterior shear trends, with younger participants showing greater posterior shear at L1–L2 and greater anterior shear at L5–S1 compared to older participants, alongside notable wedge angle changes between L1 and L3.
Diurnal loading consistently induced axial compression across all disc regions, with younger individuals demonstrating significantly greater loss of disc height than older individuals.