Can the lumbar spine be crushed in heavy lifting?
Cadaveric lumbar intervertebral joints were wedged to simulate forward flexion and then compressed to failure. The compressive strengths of the young male specimens tested were compared with the forces calculated to act when average young men perform maximum lifts from the flexed posture. It is concluded that the spine has a considerable margin of safety when such lifts are performed.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged