BIOMECHANICAL COMPARISON OF CALF AND HUMAN SPINES

Given the limited availability of human cadaveric specimens and their potential risk of infection, calf spines have been used as substitutes for human spines in the evaluation of spinal implants, Few biomechani cal data comparing calf and human spines are available, however. The p urpose of this study was to determine the biomechanical properties of the calf spine and to compare them with properties previously reported for the human spine. We determined the range of motion, neutral zone, and stiffness of thoracic and lumbar calf spines (T6 to L6) under pur e moment loading in flexion-extension, axial relation, and lateral ben ding. These properties were shown to be similar to those of the human spine. The results suggest that the calf spine can be used as a substi tute for the human spine in some in vitro tests.