Significance of spine stability criteria on trunk muscle forces following unilateral muscle weakening: A comparison between kinematics-driven and stability-based kinematics-driven musculoskeletal models

Abstract

Two optimization-driven approaches were employed to develop kinematics-driven (KD) and stability-based kinematics-driven (SKD) musculoskeletal models of an adult thoracolumbar to ascertain the significance of spine stability in holding the upright-standing posture after muscular disuse atrophy. Both models were used to estimate muscle forces of the trunk with intact and unilaterally reduced longissimus thoracis pars thoracic (LGPT) and multifidus lumborum (MFL) muscles strength. A finite element model of the L5–S1 segment of the same kinematics was also developed to compare the joint stresses predicted by the KD and SKD models. Matching well with in vivo data, the SKD model predicted a 15% and 33% reduction in contralateral muscle forces to the 95% debilitated LGPT and MFL muscles, respectively. In contrast, the contralateral muscle force enhancement to the debilitated MFL muscle in the KD model was in contradiction with in vivo data, implying that the KD model is incapable of correctly predicting the muscular disorders. However, the similarity of both models’ predictions of intradiscal pressures and intervertebral discs’ stresses, which matched well with in vivo data, does indicate the feasibility of the KD model to investigate trunk muscle weakness effects on spinal loads, which could offer additional tools for research in ergonomics. Nonetheless, SKD models can be employed for assessment of contralateral muscle impotence in spinal neuromuscular disorders.