The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award is to identify the relationship between spinal ligament microstructure and the mechanics of the lower back. The motion and mechanical response of the spine depend strongly upon the mechanical properties of the spinal ligaments; however, there is not currently a method for obtaining these properties for an individual. The research approach is to (1) image and quantify ligament microstructure, (2) measure the ligament material properties using a novel, anisotropic small-punch technique, and (3) evaluate the effects of ligament microstructure variation on the lower back using finite element analysis.
Lower back pain is a leading cause of role disability with an estimated U.S. economic impact exceeding $100 billion per year. Connecting microstructure variability in spinal ligaments with material behavior will improve understanding of the mechanical consequences of current low back pain treatments, as well as facilitate development of restorative devices for the spine that could significantly improve the quality of life for many people who are disabled by low back pain. Graduate and undergraduate engineering students will be intimately involved in all aspects of the research, including sharing the results with both technical and nontechnical audiences. The educational aspect of the work is to enhance current undergraduate coursework, develop a complementary graduate course, and invite well-qualified collaborators and industry partners to interact with interested students in both classroom and research evaluation settings. Additionally, a mobile showcase of biomechanics related projects that educate and excite 7th through 12th grade students towards biomechanics and engineering fields will be developed.
