Evaluation of Novel Spine Musculoskeletal Biomechanics in Stability Control

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As you read this proposal, please take a second to ponder how you are able to sit without having your spine collapse under the load of your upper body. If you are lucky, you have spinal stability and are free of discomfort. Unfortunately, for many, a form of collapse or mechanical failure is present. Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to spinal stability, or lack thereof, is the global theme of the proposed research program. Spinal disorders and associated back pain currently represent an epidemic hindering productivity and creating a massive economic burden to developed nations such as Canada. The presentation of a spinal disorder, mechanically, represents a flawed stability mechanism. This research program will leverage cross-disciplinary platforms and collaborations while studying spine biomechanics to generate and validate novel interpretations of spine stability. For the first time in this field, this research program will objectively explore the synergistic role of the abdominal cavity and paraspinal muscle compartment compressibility in spinal stability and, consequently, as a potential mechanism of spinal instability and subsequent disorders. It is hypothesized that the inclusion of the compressibility of pressurized abdominal and paraspinal compartments will alleviate the unrealistic tensional demands calculated for paraspinal muscles when utilizing conventional biomechanical interpretations of the spine. It is further hypothesized that the tensional envelopes, such as the abdominal ring surrounding these compartments, also play a role in stability and any offset in tensional capacities will introduce instability and compensatory patterns. The research program leverages prior expertise in spine biomechanics, high-performance computers, patient based physiological 3D models, and custom programed finite element modeling. Furthermore, the research program will train several HQPs (3 PhD, 3 MEng, and 3 BEng) on engineering computer programing, image processing, control, and stress analyses while submitting them to cross-disciplinary clinical and physiological theories and feeding the fast growing demand of biomedical engineers in the medical device market in Canada. Moreover, short and long term results are expected to have a broad impact by altering diagnostic and treatment methods related to spine instability.