Development of an Enhanced Musculoskeletal Model for Simulating Lumbar Spine Loading During Manual Lifting Tasks

During manual lifting tasks, extreme loads, intervertebral shear forces, repeated loading and improper lifting techniques all contribute to the risks of back pain and injuries. A three-dimensional (3D) multi-segment musculoskeletal model, which includes 49 degrees of freedom (DOFs) and 258 muscle-tendon units, was developed in this study for simulating loading conditions of the lower back during manual lifting tasks. The model was created in OpenSim, an open-source computer simulation platform. The enhanced musculoskeletal model provides a tool for more comprehensive simulations of lifting motions. To evaluate the capacity of the model for estimation of spinal loading, the loading at the L3/L4-L5/S1 under different lifting tasks were examined and compared with published data. The results encourage the feasibility of applying the model to research questions relating to lumbar spine loading.