title: Biomechanics of intervertebral disk degeneration.
abstract: Degenerative changes in the material properties of nucleus pulposus and anulus fibrosus promote changes in viscoelastic properties of the whole disc. Volume, pressure and hydration loss in the nucleus pulposus, disk height decreases and fissures in the anulus fibrosus, are some of the signs of the degenerative cascade that advances with age and affect, among others, spinal function and its stability. Much remains to be learned about how these changes affect the function of the motion segment and relate to symptoms such as low back pain and altered spinal biomechanics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Nozomu_Inoue@rush.edu
authors.forename: Nozomu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Alejandro A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Espinoza Orías
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016474:Weight-Bearing
chemical_list: D011509:Proteoglycans; D003094:Collagen