Biomedical Device Cushions Vertebrae to Treat Chronic Back Pain
JUN 20, 2013
Artificial disc imitates the natural motion of the spine.
Biomedical Device Cushions Vertebrae to Treat Chronic Back Pain
Get Inside the Science:
BYU engineers conceive disc replacement to treat chronic low back pain
Larry Howell – Brigham Young University
Inside Science Buzzwords:
- Spinal disc - Located in the spinal column, a spinal disc mainly acts as a shock absorber between two vertebrae, and is composed of two parts: a tough outer portion and a soft inner core. The human spine has 23 discs and 24 vertebrae.
- Compliant mechanism - Single-piece structures, like tweezers or nail clippers, that can change their size, shape, or both, in response to forces.
