Background: Intervertebral discs and vertebrae deform under load, narrowing the intervertebral foramen and increasing the risk of nerve entrapment. Little is known about these deformations in elderly spines.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that, in ageing spines, vertebrae deform more than discs, and contribute to time-dependent creep.

Methods: 117 thoracolumbar motion segments, mean age 69 yr, were compressed at 1 kN for 0.5, 1 or 2 hr. Immediate “elastic” deformations were followed by “creep”. A three-parameter model was fitted to experimental data to characterise their viscous modulus E1, elastic modulus E2 (initial stiffness), and viscosity η (resistance to fluid flow). Intradiscal pressure (IDP) was measured using a miniature needle-mounted transducer. In 17 specimens loaded for 0.5 hr, an optical MacReflex system measured compressive deformations separately in the disc and each vertebral body.

Results: On average, the disc contributed 28% of the spine’s elastic deformation, and 51% of the creep. Elastic, creep, and total deformations of 84 motion segments over 2 hrs averaged 0.87mm, 1.37mm and 2.24mm respectively. Measured deformations were predicted accurately by the model, but E1, E2 and η depended on loading duration. E1 and η decreased with advancing age and degeneration, in proportion to falling IDP (p< 0.001). Total compressive deformation increased with age, but rarely exceeded 3mm.

Conclusions: In ageing spines, vertebral bodies show greater elastic deformations than intervertebral discs, and a similar amount of creep. Deformations depend largely on IDP, but appear to be limited by impaction of adjacent neural arches. Total deformations are sufficient to cause foraminal stenosis in some individuals.

Conflicts of Interest: none

Source of Funding: Action Medical Research