Sharif Digital Repository

Manual material handling (MMH) is associated with mechanical back injuries. To manage such injuries, musculoskeletal models are employed to estimate spinal loads during MMH. These models require, as input, 3D-position of the hand-load and body posture whose measurements involve skillful and time-consuming motion analysis investigations.In order to facilitate the procedure of posture measurements and load estimations, three coupled artificial-neural-networks (ANNs) were developed. To predict whole body posture, ANN1 was trained based on our novel measurements on 15 individuals. Each individual performed several static-tasks by holding 0, 5, and 10 kg weight at 9 different anterior-left... 

Biomechanical models require body posture to evaluate the risk of musculoskeletal injuries during daily/occupational activities like manual material handling (MMH). The procedure to measure body posture via motion-analysis techniques is complex, time-consuming, and limited to equipped laboratories. This study aims to develop an easy-to-use yet accurate model that predict human whole-body static posture (3D body coordinates and anatomical joint angles) during different MMH activities. Twenty healthy male right-handed individuals with body mass index between 18 and 26 performed 204 symmetric and asymmetric MMH activities. Each person reached (i.e., without any load in hands) the destinations... 

Ground reaction forces (GRFs) and their centers of pressure (CoPs) are essential inputs in musculoskeletal models of the spine that study load-lifting tasks. While GRFs and CoPs are usually measured in vivo via force-plates, they can be predicted based on motion equations, developed in AnyBody Modelling System (AMS) thus eliminating the need for laboratory equipment and in vivo measurements. This study aims to develop an easy-to-use yet accurate model that predict GRFs and CoPs during different Manual Material Handling (MMH) activities using AnyBody Modelling System and artificial neural networks. First, the accuracy of the AMS GRF prediction algorithm was evaluated for 8 normal- and 4... 

Body posture is an essential input of musculoskeletal models that evaluate spinal loads in occupational activities. Posture is either measured in vivo via video-camera motion capture systems or predicted via artificial neural networks (ANNs) [1]. As video-camera measurements are impractical for use in real workstations, we have recently developed an ANN that predicts full-body posture during one- and two-handed static load-handling activities. This ANN, trained based on the posture data of 20 subjects each performing 204 static load-handling activities, uses 3D coordinates of the hand-load, body weight, and body height of the worker to predict 3D coordinates of 41 full-body skin markers. The... 

Epidemiological studies have identified manual material handling and lifting as risk factors in occupational low back pain (LBP). There are many lifting analysis tools to estimate the risk of injury during a specific lifting task. One for using these tools, needs to know the limitations of each tool and be noticed where a tool cannot be used. The purpose of this study is to compare different biomechanical models of lumbar spine and find out their characteristics.Five models are chosen for this study which are: the University of Michigan’s Static Strength Prediction Program ( ) software, the revised Hand-Calculation Back Compressive Force (HCBCF) equation, the simple polynomial equation of... 

Low back pain is one of the musculoskeletal diseases which is an important issue for general health of society in both quality of life and costs. Most of the clinical instructions employ exercise as a clinical treatment in order to cure chronic low back pain. General and core stability exercises are of common prevalence, however, there are disputes about the effectiveness of these exercises in the literature. The aim of this study is to answer the question whether stabilizer exercise can significantly alter the stability of vertebral column in comparison with general exercises. Hence, experiments have been designed and conducted. The participants have been divided to two group. Within six... 

Due to adverse health problems with lumbar spine among professional drivers associated with exposure to whole body vibration (WBV), studying the effect of vibrations and parameters influencing WBV is of great importance. This study aims to simulate whole body vibration for a ground vehicle occupant and calculate loads that lumbar spine tolerate during harmonic sinusoidal vibrations. Moreover, this study determines the effect of lumbar spine angle, seat specifications (angles and materials), and vibration frequency on the results. To this end, a detailed viscoelastic lumbar spine (L1-S1) has been modeled using FE method which has been replaced with the simplified spine model in HYBRID III... 

Etiological studies proves the fact that Low Back Pain (LBP) is one of the most expensive and prevalent desease all over the world. This fact illustrates the reqiurment of the special effort in ordet to reducing the pain due to this problem. Finite element modeling of human spine is one the suitable methods to simulate the behavior of human spine in different loading conditions. These conditions could be different daily occupational tasks. There is two general viewpoint toward finite element modeling of human spine. The fisrt method focuses on the detailed geometry and mechanical properties of spine, while the other complexities such as detailed muscle forces are overlooked. The latter... 

Several geometrically-detailed passive finite element (FE) models of the lumbar spine have been developed and validated under in vitro loading conditions. As these models are devoid of muscles, they are either not used to simulate in vivo activities or muscle forces are modeled by a hypothetical compressive follower load (FL). A number of symmetric and asymmetric static tasks were first simulated using a validated musculoskeletal model of the thoracolumbar spine to predict trunk muscle forces. The predicted muscle forces along with the gravity loading were then applied to a passive FE model of the L4-L5 motion segment (developed and validated here) to estimate load sharing among the disc,... 

The main task of the spine from the mechanical point of view, withstand external loads and allow the upper body movements. Hence, as the chief cause of back pain are mechanical parameters. Inability to directly measure the forces acting on the spine as in vivo, further brings us to the use of computer models in various branches of orthopedic biomechanics leads.
The purpose of this project in the first place) to make a detailed finite element model of the L4-L5 spinal motion but, in the second place) loads imposed on it except move in a certain physical activities, taking into account the forces acting muscles (calculated by a musculoskeletal model is available) under which they operate,... 

Spinal instrumentation with pedicle screws has become a widespread surgical procedure in the treatment of spinal disease. The traditional way of placing pedicle screws is to use the anatomical landmarks which at many times can be a best guess resulting in breaches of the pedicle and causing neurological injuries. Additional modalities used include the intra-operative fluoroscopy or navigation systems, which results in radiation exposure and more intra-operative time. In order to solve the technical problems, a pedicle screw navigation template that guarantees the correct implantation position and direction of vertebral pedicle screws, can be used. Compared to pedicles in the lumbar spine,... 

Fusion surgery or fixation of vertebrae in the spine is used to treat scoliosis, fractures, infections, tumors, spinal cord injuries, and disc herniation. In this type of surgery, two or more vertebrae are connected by special screws called pedicle screws to eliminate movement between the vertebrae. Given the serious risks of spinal fusion surgery, if the slightest mistake is made at the entry point or angle of the screw inside the vertebrae, the risk of spinal cord injury is very high, which is one of the complications of fusion surgery. Therefore, in order to increase the accuracy of screw placement, patient-specific template guides are used as drill guides in this operation. For this... 

One of the main causes of low back pain is mechanical loads acting on it. These loads can be measured by in vivo measurement using force and pressure sensors. Although this method leads to accurate results, it is invasive and costly. Currently the only noninvasive way to estimate these loads is to utilize biomechanical models. Using these models requires body posture as an input. Imaging techniques are suitable for determining the posture accurately, but these equipments are expensive and often impractical. So today posture prediction models are used as an alternative cost effective with acceptable accuracy. These mechanisms predict body posture using body mass, height, position and the... 

In this project we plan to propose a mechanism for controlling the profile of vertebra displacment and intera-discal pressure in in-vitro tests. Spineis the one of the most important members of the human musculoskeletal system. Health and stability of the spine help the people to moves on two legs. So any problems with this organ, causing movement problems and pain. For the treatment of spinal diseases, several methods such as surgery, insertion of implants and stabilizing were used. To ensure the accuracy of these methods, laboratory examination is essential. One of the ways to test these interventions, the implementation of in vitro tests on samples obtained from the bodies of the spine.... 

We have recently designed/fabricated novel bilateral vertebra- and patient-specific drill guides for pedicle screw (PS) placements and tested their accuracy for both nondeformed and deformed thoracic spines. PS placement deviations from their preplanned positions significantly reduced when guide template were used; the success rate improved from ~72% (freehand placements) to 94% (guided placements). In the present study, we aim to use finite element (FE) analyses to evaluate the pull-out strength of these PSs inserted via either the freehand technique or our drill-guide templates. Two 3D-printed T1-T12 thoracic models of a severe scoliosis patient with a 47° thoracic dextro-scoliotic curve... 

One of the most common spinal surgeries involves spinal fusion or vertebral fixation, which is used to treat various conditions such as intervertebral disc disease, scoliosis (lateral deviation of the spinal column), fractures, infections, or the presence of tumors in the spinal column. In this surgical procedure, the use of pedicle screws and titanium rods prevents motion and friction between two vertebrae. Screws may enter the vertebrae in the wrong position and angle, causing bone weakening, rupture of nerve roots or blood vessels, weakness or lack of sensation in some parts of the body, spinal cord injury, and in severe cases, paralysis of the patient. For this reason, fusion surgery is... 

Spine biomechanical models suffers from either simplification in passive disc components modeling (modeling via torsional spring or beam elements) in musculoskeletal (MS) models or shortcomings in detailed muscles modeling (via a simple force and torque vector) in detailed finite element (FE) models. Considering these, that is aimed in this study to develop a hybrid MS-FE model which the calculated muscle forces by a MS model (developed based on geometrical and mechanical properties of FE model) for a desired static posture, being applied to a detailed FE model. Considering the change of discs stiffness in FE model under the applied muscles and gravity forces, the equivalent stiffness in MS... 

pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal (MS) disorders and the most important cause of functional disability in developed and developing countries. Several studies showed that the most important factor in development of the low back pain is loads and stresses in different parts of the spine. While non-invasive measurement of these internal loads and stresses, as a tool to estimate the risk of injury, is very difficult and costly, biomechanical models of the spine are the best meansfor analyzing the risk of injury in various in-vivo activities. In order to develop a spine model, it is necessary to measure the kinematics of the vertebrae for the specified activity. In previous studies,... 

Low back pain (LBP), the leading cause of disability worldwide, remains one of the most common and challenging occupational musculoskeletal disorders. The effective assessment of LBP injury risk, and the design of appropriate treatment modalities and rehabilitation protocols, require accurate estimation of the mechanical spinal loads during different activities. This study aimed to: 1) develop a novel 2D beam-column finite element control-based model of the lumbar spine and compare its predictions for muscle forces and spinal loads to those resulting from a geometrically-matched equilibrium-based model; 2) test, using the foregoing control-based finite element model, the validity of the... 

The spine like every other mechanical pillar, is exposed to buckling and loss of stability. While existing biomechanical models emphasize the pressure force on the disk as the main cause of injury, there is also a possibility of local buckling phenomenon in vertebral discs. Because of the prevalence and high cost of lower back pain, it is essential to evaluate the forces carried by disks and lumbar muscles during occupational activities more accurately. In this regard, hybrid EMG-assisted optimization (EMGAO) approaches are most common methods for estimation of spinal loads. These models, not only use EMG data to be physiologically creditable, but also satisfy equilibrium requirements at all...