Towards the estimation of ultimate compression tolerance as a function of cyclic compression loading history: implications for lifting-related low back injury risk assessment

Abstract This study aimed to mathematically characterize the ultimate compression tolerance (UCT) as a function of spinal joint posture, loading variation, and loading duration. One hundred and fourteen porcine cervical spinal units were tested. Spinal units were randomly assigned to subthreshold cyclic loading groups that differed by joint posture (neutral, flexed), peak loading variation (10%, 20%, 40%), and loading duration (1000, 3000, 5000 cycles). After the assigned conditioning test, UCT testing was performed. Force and actuator position were sampled at 100 Hz. A three-dimensional relationship between UCT, loading variation, and loading duration was most accurately characterized by a second order polynomial surface (R2 = 0.644, RMSE = 1.246 kN). However, distinct UCT responses were observed for flexed and neutral postures. A single second-order polynomial most accurately characterized the UCT – loading duration relationship (R2 = 0.905, RMSE = 0.718 kN) for flexed postures. For neutral joint postures, separate second-order polynomial equations were developed to characterize the UCT – loading duration relationship for each variation group (R2 = 0.618–0.906, RMSE = 0.617 kN–0.746 kN). These findings suggest that UCT responses are influenced by joint posture and these data may be used to inform ergonomic tools for the assessment of low back injury risk during occupational lifting.