Tensile loading of the human cervical spine results from noncontact inertial loading of the head as well as mandibular and craniofacial impacts. Current vehicle safety standards include a neck injury criterion based on beam theory that uses a linear combination of the normalized upper cervical axial force and sagittal plane moment. This study examines this criterion by imposing combined axial tension and bending to postmortem human subject (PMHS) ligamentous cervical spines. Tests were conducted on 20 unembalmed PMHSs. Nondestructive whole cervical spine tensile tests with varying cranial end condition and anteroposterior loading location were used to generate response corridors for computational model development and validation. The cervical spines were sectioned into three functional spinal segments (Occiput-C2, C4-C5, and C6-C7) for measurement of tensile structural response and failure testing. The upper cervical spine (Occiput-C2) was found to be significantly less stiff, absorb less strain energy, and fail at higher loads than the lower cervical spine (C4-C5 and C6-C7). Increasing the moment arm of the applied tensile load resulted in larger head rotations, larger moments, and significantly higher tensile ultimate strengths in the upper cervical spine. The strength of the upper cervical spine when loaded through the head center of gravity was greater than when loaded over the occipital condyles , which is not predicted by beam theory. Beam theory predicts that increased tensile loading eccentricity results in decreased axial failure loads. Analyses of the force-deflection histories suggest that ligament loading in the upper cervical spine depends on the amount of head rotation orientation, which may explain why the neck is stronger in combined tension and extension.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: rwn@duke.edu
Article navigation
August 2009
Research Papers
Tension and Combined Tension-Extension Structural Response and Tolerance Properties of the Human Male Ligamentous Cervical Spine
Alan T. Dibb,
Alan T. Dibb
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Search for other works by this author on:
Roger W. Nightingale,
Roger W. Nightingale
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
e-mail: rwn@duke.edu
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Search for other works by this author on:
Jason F. Luck,
Jason F. Luck
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Search for other works by this author on:
V. Carol Chancey,
V. Carol Chancey
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Search for other works by this author on:
Lucy E. Fronheiser,
Lucy E. Fronheiser
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Search for other works by this author on:
Barry S. Myers
Barry S. Myers
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Search for other works by this author on:
Alan T. Dibb
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Roger W. Nightingale
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281e-mail: rwn@duke.edu
Jason F. Luck
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
V. Carol Chancey
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Lucy E. Fronheiser
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281
Barry S. Myers
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
Duke University
, Durham, NC 27708-0281J Biomech Eng. Aug 2009, 131(8): 081008 (11 pages)
Published Online: July 6, 2009
Article history
Received:
September 12, 2008
Revised:
March 25, 2009
Published:
July 6, 2009
Citation
Dibb, A. T., Nightingale, R. W., Luck, J. F., Chancey, V. C., Fronheiser, L. E., and Myers, B. S. (July 6, 2009). "Tension and Combined Tension-Extension Structural Response and Tolerance Properties of the Human Male Ligamentous Cervical Spine." ASME. J Biomech Eng. August 2009; 131(8): 081008. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3127257
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Influence of Geometric Parameters on the Hemodynamic Characteristics of the Vertebral Artery
J Biomech Eng (March 2025)
Evaluating the Biomechanical Effects and Real-World Usability of a Novel Ankle Exo for Runners
J Biomech Eng (March 2025)
Related Articles
Effect of Loading Rate on the Compressive Mechanics of the Immature Baboon Cervical Spine
J Biomech Eng (February,2006)
Design of a Dynamic Stabilization Spine Implant
J. Med. Devices (June,2009)
Ankle Rehabilitation via Compliant Mechanisms
J. Med. Devices (June,2010)
Linear and Torsional Mechanical Characteristics of Intact and Reconstructed Scapholunate Ligaments
J Biomech Eng (April,2009)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Introduction and Definitions
Handbook on Stiffness & Damping in Mechanical Design
Final Report
Applications Guide for Determining the Yield Strength of In-Service Pipe by Hardness Evaluation: Final Report
The Effect of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury on Tibiofemoral Joint Biomechanics: Under Draw Load
International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Technology (ICMET-London 2011)