Full body subject specific musculoskeletal model for complex spine movements

New interventions for spinal pathologies can be tested on computational models of the spine without putting the patient at risk. However, existing models are usually built from different datasets which may be inconsistent with each other. In this study, a full body musculoskeletal model was developed in OpenSim from MRI scans of a healthy volunteer to ensure consistency of muscle insertions, muscle moment arms, and joint locations. This model is assessed by comparing simulation results with EMG signals recorded on the same healthy volunteer for a range of tasks involving multi-plane spinal movements representative of an active lifestyle. The model is in agreement with experimental data and can now help in understanding the development of spinal pathologies. It will be coupled with a finite element model of the spine to investigate bone adaptation under asymmetric loading.