title: Effects of cervical spine posture on axial load bearing ability: a biomechanical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors conducted a study to assess the effects of cervical posture on the loadbearing ability of the cervical spine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve cervical spine specimens obtained in 12 adult sheep were tested. The specimens were randomly separated into two groups. In Group I the specimens were fixed in a lordotic posture, and in Group II they were fixed in a straight posture. Axial compressive loads were applied at a constant rate of 5 cm/minute. Load-to-failure, time-to-failure, piston displacement at failure, and failure modes were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed to detect differences between the groups. There was no significant difference in load-to-failure values between the two groups. However, the time-to-failure and the piston displacement values for the straight spines were significantly less than those for the lordotic spines. Additionally, the straight spines failed predominantly through ventral elements, whereas the lordotic spines predominantly failed dorsally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that a loss of a lordosis increases the risk of injury to the cervical spine following axial loading.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, VKV American Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oktenoğlu
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andalkar
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sarioğlu
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Benzel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D009038:Motion; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011859:Radiography; D012756:Sheep; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016474:Weight-Bearing