Biomechanical Properties Of The Lumbar Endplates

Objectives: To determine the distribution of the biomechanical properties of the lumbar endplates.Methods: Indentation tests were performed at 49 standardized test sites in 50 bony endplates of intact human vertebrae (L1–L5) using a 1.5-mm-diameter, plane indenter with a test rate of 12 mm/min to procure the failure load, statistical analyses were used to analyze the resulting data.Results: 1) The failure load varied significantly among the lumbar level (P = 0.009). 2) Highly significant regional failure load variations were identified in Both the lumbar superior and inferior endplates (P = 0.000, P = 0.000);The failure load of the superior lumbar endplates varied significantly among the ang-coordinate lines (P = 0.04), the superior lumbar endplates did not; There was no significantly difference in the failure load between the anterior and posterior regions of the lumbar endplates.3) The failure load of the lumbar inferior endplates was significantly bigger than the lumbar superior endplates. (P = 0.002).Conclusions: The strength of the lumbar level increases from L1 to L5 and then decreases from L4 to L5; the strength of the lumbar endplates increases gradually from the center of bone to the margin; No differences are in the strength between the anterior and posterior regions of the lumbar endplates; The strength of the lumbar inferior endplates is significantly stronger than that of the lumbar superior endplates.