Evaluation of Intervertebral Disc Generation and Recovery

In general, lower back pain is the most common cause of disability in adults. Lower back pain costs American’s nearly $100 billion a year in health care and accounts for more than 264 million lost work days per year. While there are a significant number of factors that can lead to one developing lower back pain, Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is the most common cause of chronic lower back pain (“Patients.” History of Chiropractic, American Chiropractic Association). Due to repeated loading within the lumbar region of the spine, the discs in between the vertebrae of the spinal cord begin to degenerate. As degeneration becomes worse, people are left with excruciating back pain as the nerves of the lower back become inflamed. Current treatments include pain medications, therapies or surgeries from medical professionals, as well as stretching and exercising. However, while these techniques have been proven to alleviate pain in the lower back, a permanent solution for lower back pain has yet to be established (Peloza, John. “Diagnosing Lower Back Pain.” Spine-Health, 20 Apr. 2017). This degenerative disease has become a focus for ongoing spinal research and studies. An ongoing study at RPI has shown that low rate mechanical loading of the spine can enhance diffusion and regenerate the discs within the spine (Gullbrand, Sarah E, et al. “ISSLS Prize Winner: Dynamic Loading–Induced Convective... : Spine.” LWW, Oxford University Press,). To further understand this phenomenon, the complex relationship between load and displacement within the discs needs to be fully understood. This can be done through the use of a custom sinusoidal load frame. The purpose of this research therefore was to finish the wiring, coding, building and testing of a load frame that could record this data in viscoelastic materials. The building of the load frame and testing of an elastomer specimen to prove the concept of the machine was then successfully completed. Understanding this information will help researchers in the future to develop a low rate loading regime that can be used in human therapeutic treatments.