title: Examination of a lumbar spine biomechanical model for assessing axial compression, shear, and bending moment using selected Olympic lifts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Loading during concurrent bending and compression associated with deadlift, hang clean and hang snatch lifts carries the potential for injury to the intervertebral discs, muscles and ligaments. This study examined the capacity of a newly developed spinal model to compute shear and compressive forces, and bending moments in lumbar spine for each lift.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five male subjects participated in the study. The spine was modeled as a chain of rigid bodies (vertebrae) connected via the intervertebral discs. Each vertebral reference frame was centered in the center of mass of the vertebral body, and its principal directions were axial, anterior-posterior, and medial-lateral.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated the capacity of this spinal model to assess forces and bending moments at and about the lumbar vertebrae by showing the variations among these variables with different lifting techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show the model's potential as a diagnostic tool.
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine and Motion Analysis Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Moataz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eltoukhy
authors.affiliation: Biomechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Travascio
authors.affiliation: Biomechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Shihab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asfour
authors.affiliation: Biomechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Shady
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elmasry
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine and Motion Analysis Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heredia-Vargas
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine and Motion Analysis Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA; Center on Aging, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Signorile
keywords: Deadlift; Lumbar spine biomechanics; Motion capturing; Power clean; Snatch