Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of vibration frequency variation on poroelastic response of intervertebral disc of lumbar spine

  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Long-time working under whole body vibration might accelerate the degeneration of spine and lead to low back pain and other spinal diseases. A poroelastic finite element model of L4-L5 disc segment was generated to investigate the biomechanical response of lumbar spine under different frequency vibration loads. The results show that the change of the deformation, pore pressure, stress and fluid flow under 8 Hz and 11.5 Hz vibration loads appears periodic; however, the change under lower frequency vibration loads (1 Hz and 4 Hz) is relatively gentle. With increasing time, the axial displacement of disc increases, the liquid gradually flows away and the pore pressure and effective stress in nucleus all show an upward trend. The deformation, stress and fluid flow of the L4-L5 disc segment present a periodicity under higher-frequency vibration loads; however, the fluctuation period is larger than the load frequency, which means that the poroelastic characteristic of intervertebral disc presents a strong damping effect. The effective stress and pore pressure of the nucleus show a rising trend under vibration loads. The findings of this study exhibited the poroelastic performance of the spine under different frequency vibration loads.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Bovenzi and C. T. J. Hulshof, An updated review of epidemiologic studies on the relationship between exposure to whole–body vibration and low back pain (1986–1997), International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 72 (6) (1999) 351–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. M. Fritz, Description of the relation between the forces acting in the lumbar spine and whole–body vibrations by means of transfer functions, Clinical Biomechanics, 15 (4) (2000) 234–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. M. H. Pope, D. G. Wilder and M. L. Magnusson, A review of studies on seated whole body vibration and low back pain, Proc Inst Mech Eng H, 213 (H6) (1999) 435–446.

    Google Scholar 

  4. K. M. Groth and K. P. Granata, The viscoelastic standard nonlinear solid model: Predicting the response of the lumbar intervertebral disk to low–frequency vibrations, ASME J. of Biomechanical Engineering, 130 (3) (2008) 031005(1–6).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. H. Ayari, M. Thomas and S. Dore, Evaluation of lumbar vertebra injury risk to the seated human body when exposed to vertical vibration, J. of Sound and Vibration, 321 (1–2) (2009) 454–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. W. M. Park, Y. H. Kim and S. Lee, Effect of intervertebral disc degeneration on biomechanical behaviors of a lumbar motion segment under physiological loading conditions, J. of Mechanical Science and Technology, 27 (2) (2013) 5483–489.

    Google Scholar 

  7. W. M. Park, K. Kim and Y. H. Kim, Changes in range of motion, intradiscal pressure, and facet joint force after intervertebral disc and facet joint degeneration in the cervical spine, J. of Mechanical Science and Technology, 29 (7) (2015) 3031–3038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. A. M. Ellingson, M. N. Shaw, H. Giambini and K. N. An, Comparative role of disc degeneration and ligament failure on functional mechanics of the lumbar spine, Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 19 (9) (2016) 1009–1018.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. J. Y. Huang, H. G. Yan, F. Z. Jian, X. W. Wang and H. Y. Li, Numerical analysis of the influence of nucleus pulposus removal on the biomechanical behavior of a lumbar motion segment, Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 18 (14) (2015) 1516–1524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Y. Kim, D. Ta, M. Jung and S. Koo, A musculoskeletal lumbar and thoracic model for calculation of joint kinetics in the spine, J. of Mechanical Science and Technology, 30 (6) (2016) 2891–2897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. F. Galbusera, H. Schmidt, C. Neidlinger–Wilke and H. J. Wilke, The effect of degenerative morphological changes of the intervertebral disc on the lumbar spine biomechanics: A poroelastic finite element investigation, Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 14 (8) (2011) 729–739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J. P. Urban and J. F. McMullin, Swelling pressure of the lumbar intervertebral discs: influence of age, spinal level, composition, and degeneration, Spine, 13 (1988) 179–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M. A. Adams, D. W. McMillan, T. P. Green and P. Dolan, Sustained loading generates stress concentrations in lumbar intervertebral discs, Spine, 21 (1996) 434–438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. N. Boos, S. Weissbach and H. Rohrbach, Classification of age–related changes in lumbar intervertebral discs, Spine, 23 (7) (2002) 2631–2644.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. D. W. Lu, M. Solomonow and B. Zhou, Frequencydependent changes in neuromuscular responses to cyclic lumbar flexion. J. of Biomechanics, 37 (6) (2004) 845–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. A. J. van der Veen, M. Mullender and T. H. Smit, Flowrelated mechanics of the intervertebral disc: The validity of an in vitro model, Spine, 30 (18) (2005) 534–539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. D. B. Amin, I. M. Lawless, D. Sommerfeld, R. M. Stanley, B. Ding and J. J. Costi, The effect of six degree of freedom loading sequence on the in–vitro compressive properties of human lumbar spine segments, J. Biomech., 49 (14) (2016) 3407–3414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. C. K. Lee, E. Y. Kim and C. S. Lee, Impact response of the intervertebral disc in a finite–element model, Spine, 25 (19) (2000) 2431–2439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. R. N. Natarajan, J. R. Williams and S. A. Lavender, Poroelastic finite element model to predict the failure progression in a lumbar disc due to cyclic loading, Computers and Structures, 85 (2007) 1142–1151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Y. Kim and H. Choi, Analysis of the impact responses in a degenerated spinal motion segment FE model, J. of Mechanical Science and Technology, 23 (1) (2009) 19–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. H. Schmidt, A. Shirazi–Adl, F. Galbusera and H. J. Wilke, Response analysis of the lumbar spine during regular daily activities — A finite element analysis, J. of Biomechanics, 43 (2010) 1849–1856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. J. T. Cheung, M. Zhang and D. H. Chow, Biomechanical responses of the intervertebral joints to static and vibrational loading: A finite element study, Clinical Biomechanics, 18 (2003) 790–799.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. A. Chagnon, C. E. Aubin and I. Villemure, Biomechanical influence of disk properties on the load transfer of healthy and degenerated disks using a poroelastic finite element model, ASME J. of Biomechanical Engineering, 132 (11) (2010) No. 1111006.

    Google Scholar 

  24. K. Park, Assessment of movement distribution in the lumbar spine using the instantaneous axis of rotation, J. of Mechanical Science and Technology, 28 (12) (2014) 5063–5067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. L. X. Guo, M. Zhang and E. C. Teo, Vibration modes of injured spine at resonant frequencies under vertical vibration, Spine, 34 (19) (2009) E682–E688.

    Google Scholar 

  26. L. J. Smith and N. L. Fazzalari, The elastic fibre network of the human lumbar anulus fibrosus: Architecture, mechanical function and potential role in the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration, European Spine J., 18 (4) (2009) 439–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. W. Johannessen, E. J. Vresilovic, A. C. Wright and D. M. Elliott, Intervertebral disc mechanics are restored following cyclic loading and unloaded recovery, Ann. Biomed. Eng., 32 (1) (2004) 70–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. J. C. Iatridis, L. A. Setton, R. J. Foster, B. A. Rawlins, M. Weidenbaum and V. C. Mow, Degeneration affects the anisotropic and nonlinear behaviors of human anulus fibrosus in compression, J. of Biomechanics, 31 (6) (1998) 535–544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. W. Y. Gu, X. G. Mao, R. J. Foster, M. Weidenbaum, V. C. Mow and B. A. Rawlins, The anisotropic hydraulic permeability of human lumbar annulus fibrosus, influence of age, degeneration, direction, and water content, Spine, 24 (23) (1999) 2449–2455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. K. K. Lee and E. C. Teo, Poroelastic analysis of lumbar spinal stability in combined compression and anterior shear, J. of Spinal Disorders & Techniques, 17 (5) (2004) 429–438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. M. Argoubi and A. Shirazi–Adl, Poroelastic creep response analysis of a lumbar motion segment in compression, J. of Biomechanics, 29 (10) (1996) 1331–1339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. S. J. Ferguson, K. Ito and L. P. Nolte, Fluid flow and convective transport of solutes within the intervertebral disc, J. of Biomechanics, 37 (2) (2004) 213–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. M. Haefeli, F. Kalberer, D. Saegesser, A. G. Nerlich, N. Boos and G. Paesold, The course of macroscopic degeneration in the human lumbar intervertebral disc, Spine, 31 (14) (2006) 1522–1531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. R. LaBry, P. Sbriccoli, B. H. Zhou and M. Solomonow, Longer static flexion duration elicits a neuromuscular disorder in the lumbar spine, J. of Applied Physiology, 96 (2004) 2005–2015.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. P. Sbriccoli, M. Solomonow, B. H. Zhou and Y. Lu, Work to rest durations ratios exceeding unity are a risk factor for low back disorder, a feline model, J. of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 17 (2006) 142–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. S. P. Li, A. G. Patwardhan and F. Amirouche, Limitations of the standard linear solid model of intervertebral discs subject to prolonged loading and low–frequency vibration in axial–compression, J. of Biomechanics, 28 (7) (1995) 779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. A. Rohlmann, T. Zander, H. Schmidt, H. J. Wilke and G. Bergmann, Analysis of the influence of disc degeneration on the mechanical behaviour of a lumbar motion segment using the finite element method, J. of Biomechanics, 39 (13) (2006) 2484–2490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. A. H. Hsieh, D. R. Wagner, L. Y. Cheng and J. C. Lotz, Dependence of mechanical behavior of the murine tail disc on regional material properties: A parametric finite element study, ASME J. Biomech. Eng., 127 (7) (2005) 1158–1167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China

    Li-Xin Guo & Rui Li

  2. College of Electromechanical and Information Engineering, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, 116600, China

    Rui Li

Authors
  1. Li-Xin Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rui Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Li-Xin Guo.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Seungbum Koo

Li-xin Guo received his Ph.D. at Northeastern University, China. He was a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore from 2002 to 2004. He was a Research Fellow at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, in 2007, 2009, 2012. He has been a Professor at Northeastern University since 2008. He has published more than 130 research papers and 8 patents. His research interests include Biomechanics, Mechanical CAE, Mechanical vibration & control and Vehicle dynamics.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guo, LX., Li, R. Influence of vibration frequency variation on poroelastic response of intervertebral disc of lumbar spine. J Mech Sci Technol 33, 973–979 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-019-0154-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-019-0154-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation