Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Lumbar Spine

Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Lumbar Spine: Computational Approaches: From Research to In Silico Medicine aims to outline how major decision points—such as goal-adapted numerical approximations—infer in the capability of lumbar spine models to provide valuable cause-and-effect relationships in the study of organ conditions and treatments. The spine presents an astonishing balance between mechanical resistance and flexibility in the human body, provided by complex interactions that are extremely difficult to restore when altered in disease. Given that these interactions are difficult to assess in situ, designing efficient treatments for low back pain remains a grand challenge in medicine. Along with more than 10 years of activity in research, the book's author has explored in-depth the capability of finite element models to capture the functional load transfers within the lumbar spine. Readers of this book will find useful guidelines for model developments in both research and clinical applications.