Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Study Of Trunk Mechanical And Neuromuscular Behaviors, Brian D. Koch

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Low back pain (LBP) is a common ailment in the United States, affecting up to 80% of adults at least once in their lifetime. Although 90% of LBP cases are considered nonspecific, recent studies show that abnormal mechanics of the lower back can be a major factor. One method of assessing the lower back mechanical environment is through perturbation experiments. An intensive literature review of perturbation systems was used to select and develop a system for the Human Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Lab (HMBL). Following construction, individuals with high/low exposure to day-long physical activity were assessed to quantify daily changes in their …