Dynamic analysis of pediatric cervical spine

The purpose of the study is to quantify the dynamic response of age-specific one, three and six year old human cervical spine structures, and to compare the responses with the skeletally mature adult cervical spine. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element modeling approach was used. Age-specific pediatric models were developed by incorporating their component-related developmental anatomy features. Eigen value and transient dynamic analyses were conducted. The effect of viscoelasticity was significantly higher in the pediatric spine. The natural frequency of the spine decreased with decrease in skeletal maturity. The dynamic stiffness of the pediatric spine was considerably less than the adult spine