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- Talk
- 07/09/2020
- UK
Maintaining Bone Health in the Spine: Locomotion Activities Alone are Not Enough
Description
The presentation by Clement Favier focuses on the crucial topic of bone health, specifically in the lumbar spine, as part of his PhD research. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining healthy bones, especially as one ages, to reduce the risk of fractures and associated health issues. Citing the UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines, he discusses the necessity of engaging in physical activities, highlighting both low-intensity (like walking) and strength-building exercises (such as gym workouts and carrying heavy items) as essential for musculoskeletal health.
Favier indicates a gap in knowledge about how demanding activities contribute to spinal bone health, leading to a comprehensive study using a full-body musculoskeletal model developed from high-resolution MRI scans of a healthy young individual. The model incorporates accurate bone geometries and muscle architectures validated across various locomotion and strength-building activities.
The presentation further explores the integration of a finite element model to predict bone adaptation in response to different load stimuli from these activities. By manipulating bone and shell thickness in reaction to these loads, the model can simulate processes like bone apposition and resorption, allowing for predictions about the optimal bone structures necessary for different physical activities.
Through the simulation of both locomotion and strength activities, the model illustrates the formation of a healthy vertebral architecture while also depicting potential bone degradation stemming from a lack of demanding activities, underscoring the effectiveness of physical activity in maintaining bone health. The findings support the assertion that merely engaging in locomotion activities is insufficient for sustaining lumbar spine health, where the absence of strength training leads to marked loss in structural integrity of the vertebrae.