This study investigated the effects of spinal alignment on the biomechanics of the cervical spine. Spinal alignment was defined in terms of initial eccentricity. The attitude of occipital condyles with respect to the inferior end of the head-neck complex was characterized using the spinal alignment factor. Thirty human cadaver head-neck complexes were used in the study. Dynamic loading was applied to the cranium using an electrohydraulic testing device. The resulting pathology was assessed using pre and posttest radiography and computed tomography scans. Injuries were graded according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) rating. They were classified into stable and unstable groups. In addition, the pathology was classified into fracture and non-fracture types. The resulting mechanisms of injury were divided into compression-flexion, compression-extension, vertical compression, and hyperflexion trauma. Results indicated that spinal alignment is a statistically significant factor that influences the mechanism of injury, AIS rating, and fracture/non-fracture classifications. However, this geometrical condition did not influence the spinal stability classification.
Abstract