Wu Biao, Gao Xin, Qin Bing, Baldoni Michele, Zhou Lu, Qian Zhiyu, Zhu Qiaoqiao
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
NPJ Microgravity. 2023 Feb 15;9(1):16. doi: 10.1038/s41526-023-00253-8.
The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze the mechanical change of spinal segments (disc, muscle, and ligament) at various postures under microgravity using a full-body musculoskeletal modeling approach. Specifically, in the lumbar spine, the vertebra were modeled as rigid bodies, the intervertebral discs were modeled as 6-degree-of-freedom joints with linear force-deformation relationships, the disc swelling pressure was deformation dependent, the ligaments were modeled as piecewise linear elastic materials, the muscle strength was dependent on its functional cross-sectional area. The neutral posture and the "fetal tuck" posture in microgravity (short as "Neutral 0G" and "Fetal Tuck 0G", in our simulation, the G constant was set to 0 for simulating microgravity), and for comparison, the relaxed standing posture in 1G and 0G gravity (short as "Neutral 1G" and "Standing 0G") were simulated. Compared to values at Neutral 1G, the mechanical response in the lower spine changed significantly at Neutral 0G. For example, the compressive forces on lumbar discs decreased 62-70%, the muscle forces decreased 55.7-92.9%, while disc water content increased 7.0-10.2%, disc height increased 2.1-3.0%, disc volume increased 6.4-9.3%, and ligament forces increased 59.5-271.3% at Neutral 0G. The fetal tuck 0G reversed these changes at Neutral 0G back toward values at Neutral 1G, with magnitudes much larger than those at Neutral 1G. Our results suggest that microgravity has significant influences on spinal biomechanics, alteration of which may increase the risks of disc herniation and degeneration, muscle atrophy, and/or ligament failure.
本研究的目的是使用全身肌肉骨骼建模方法,定量分析微重力环境下不同姿势时脊柱节段(椎间盘、肌肉和韧带)的力学变化。具体而言,在腰椎中,椎体被建模为刚体,椎间盘被建模为具有线性力-变形关系的六自由度关节,椎间盘肿胀压力取决于变形,韧带被建模为分段线性弹性材料,肌肉力量取决于其功能横截面积。模拟了微重力环境下的中立姿势和“胎儿蜷缩”姿势(简称为“Neutral 0G”和“Fetal Tuck 0G”,在我们的模拟中,G常数设置为0以模拟微重力),并进行比较,还模拟了1G和0G重力下的放松站立姿势(简称为“Neutral 1G”和“Standing 0G”)。与Neutral 1G时的值相比,Neutral 0G时下脊柱的力学响应发生了显著变化。例如,在Neutral 0G时,腰椎间盘上的压缩力降低了62 - 70%,肌肉力量降低了55.7 - 92.9%,而椎间盘含水量增加了7.0 - 10.2%,椎间盘高度增加了2.1 - 3.0%,椎间盘体积增加了6.4 - 9.3%,韧带力量增加了59.5 - 271.3%。胎儿蜷缩0G姿势将Neutral 0G时的这些变化逆转回接近Neutral 1G时的值,且幅度远大于Neutral 1G时的值。我们 的结果表明,微重力对脊柱生物力学有显著影响,其改变可能会增加椎间盘突出和退变、肌肉萎缩和/或韧带失效 的风险。