[Proof of the biomechanical effect of a lumbar spine-relief orthosis for treatment of sacroiliac pain].

AIM

The use of a spine orthosis for the treatment of low back pain is an approved, but also a disputed therapy method. There have been numerous studies so far that attempt to examine the acceptance and the impact of this treatment method. But up to now there is no biomechanical assessment about the effective level of intervertebral disc decompression while wearing an orthosis. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to measure the reduction of the disc pressure while wearing an orthosis.

METHOD

The pressure between the sensor contact area and the lumbar region was measured with FSR sensors. Two sensors were fixed at the vertical rods of the plastic framework of the orthosis. The pressure sensors underwent a voltage change while a Tigges T-Flex-B orthosis was being worn. These voltage changes were recorded using the connected measurement amplifiers. Different series of measurements were conducted with 3 male test persons. The resulting pressures were recorded under the following test conditions: knees bent, in different flexion angles of the torso and lift of 10/20 kg weights. Back muscle, shear, compressive and resulting forces were computed afterwards with the generally valid biomechanical formulas.

RESULTS

The computations showed that the use of the Tigges T-Flex-B orthosis resulted in relief of the intervertebral disc L3-L4 of about approximately 96.91+/-4.68 N. The highest intervertebral disc pressure reduction was measured during the body-far lift of 20 kg weight.

CONCLUSION

For the first time relief of the lumbar spinal column was proven in the present study because the contact pressure was measured between the orthosis and the lumbal body surface.