LOADS ON AN INTERNAL SPINAL FIXATION DEVICE DURING WALKING

Only little knowledge exists concerning the loads on internal spinal f ixation devices during walking. In this study, forces and moments were measured in two patients using telemeterized spinal fixators. Althoug h implant loads differed strongly before and after anterior fusion as well as between the two patients, some results were consistent. In eve ry test series, implant loads were higher in walking than in lying, si tting or standing. Walking speed had little influence on implant loads . Staircase walking put slightly higher loads on the implants than nor mal lever walking. Normal use of two crutches reduced implant loads on ly slightly, whereas a wheeled invalid walker reduced them by about 25 %. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.