Biomechanical comparison of lumbar rotational manipulations in two different positions using force measurement and finite element analysis

To investigate the biomechanical characteristics of lateral decubitus and sitting lumbar rotational manipulations (LRM) by combining experimental force measurements with finite element analysis (FEA), with a particular focus on regional stress and displacement distributions and areas of stress concentration that may have relevance for future clinical and safety studies.

Twenty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either lateral decubitus or sitting LRM. Practitioner-generated forces were recorded using instrumented gloves, and preliminary cluster analysis was performed to explore distinct operational patterns. The measured loading parameters were then used to define the loading conditions in a validated lumbar finite element model to compare stress and displacement distributions in the intervertebral discs and facet cartilage across the two techniques and five clusters.