Spinal Stresses and Strains
Movements, like waist inclination, and loads, such as wearing a shopping bag, cause stresses and strains in tissues. The right dose is of great importance. Excessive stress and strain can damage structures, causing cracks or bring discs to prolapse. Low stresses and strains lead to degradation of bone and soft tissue mass, which results in an increased risk of fractures. To date, we know very little about dose-response relationships. It is certain that the correct dose is very individual and age and sex dependent.
The research in spine biomechanics at the Julius Wolff Institute is engaged in such a dose-response relationship in the field of inter-corporeal fusion, new implant techniques, regenerative processes and the degeneration process.