Abstract
The purpose of the current chapter is to review the normal mechanics of the spine, i.e., the structure and function of the various components such as discs, vertebral bodies, and spinous ligaments, and to delineate how the normal behavior of these structures is altered by age and various clinical interventions. A growing segment of spine radiology involves not just imaging but musculoskeletal intervention as well. Radiologists now are performing tasks that previously were in the realm of neurosurgery and orthopaedics. Because procedures such as thermal ablation of the disc, vertebroplasty, and kyphoplasty not only address pain relief but also may alter the mechanical behavior of the disc and/or vertebral body, it is important to have a fundamental understanding of the biomechanics of the spine. Knowledge of the normal biomechanics can help the clinician understand the effect a given intervention may have.
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Belkoff, S.M. (2007). Biomechanics of the Spine. In: Van Goethem, J.W.M., van den Hauwe, L., Parizel, P.M. (eds) Spinal Imaging. Medical Radiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68483-1_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68483-1_3
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