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Effect of Subject-Specific Vertebral Position and Head and Neck Size on Calculation of Spine Musculoskeletal Moments

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Abstract

Spine musculoskeletal models used to estimate loads and displacements require many simplifying assumptions. We examined how assumptions about subject size and vertebral positions can affect the model outcomes. Head and neck models were developed to represent 30 subjects (15 males and 15 females) in neutral posture and in forward head postures adopted while using tablet computers. We examined the effects of (1) subject size-specific parameters for head mass and muscle strength; and (2) vertebral positions obtained either directly from X-ray or estimated from photographs. The outcome metrics were maximum neck extensor muscle moment, gravitational moment of the head, and gravitational demand, the ratio between gravitational moment and maximum muscle moment. The estimates of maximum muscle moment, gravitational moment and gravitational demand were significantly different when models included subject-specific vertebral positions. Outcome metrics of models that included subject-specific head and neck size were not significantly different from generic models on average, but they had significant sex differences. This work suggests that developing models from X-rays rather than photographs has a large effect on model predictions. Moreover, size-specific model parameters may be important to evaluate sex differences in neck musculoskeletal disorders.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Roseann Amundsen and Darin Porter of Pullman Regional Hospital Radiology for their assistance with radiographs, and Victor Small, Theodore Gross, Zane Duke and Chandler Shannon for data analysis. Funding was provided by the Office Ergonomics Research Committee and National Science Foundation (CBET #0748303).

Conflict of interest

The authors confirm that there have been no conflicts of interest interfering with the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-6515, USA

    Anita N. Vasavada, Ellis Hughes, Derek D. Nevins, Steven M. Monda & David C. Lin

  2. Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Pullman, WA, USA

    Anita N. Vasavada & David C. Lin

  3. Washington Center for Muscle Biology, Pullman, WA, USA

    Anita N. Vasavada & David C. Lin

  4. School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA

    Derek D. Nevins

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  1. Anita N. Vasavada
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Correspondence to Anita N. Vasavada.

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Associate Editor ter E. McHugh oversaw the review of this article.

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Vasavada, A.N., Hughes, E., Nevins, D.D. et al. Effect of Subject-Specific Vertebral Position and Head and Neck Size on Calculation of Spine Musculoskeletal Moments. Ann Biomed Eng 46, 1844–1856 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-018-2084-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-018-2084-9

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