Sensitivity of spinal loads against modeling errors in muscle attachment sites

What is it about?

Many spine modelers use anatomical textbooks and illustrations for reconstructing muscle lines-of-action in their musculoskeletal models. In this study, we assessed the variations in muscle and intervertebral disc forces against potential errors in measuring/modeling muscle attachment sites. The findings suggest that using anatomical illustrations-based approach for most muscles changed spinal loads moderately. However, for some muscles, this approach might lead to erroneous evaluation of the muscle function and spinal loads.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

We recommend using anatomical datasets in which muscle attachment locations were measured precisely or using imaging methods to acquire muscle paths. In this line, certain care should also be taken when morphing an anatomical dataset for developing a personalized model of the spine, particularly for the muscles which affect spine biomechanics to a large extent as identified in this study.