Biomechanical Basis for Stability: An Explanation to Enhance Clinical Utility

Stuart M. McGill, Jacek Cholewicki

The term "stability," as used in the field of biomechanics, remains undefined in many clinical cases. This fact can impede the design of therapies intended to enhance joint stability. In fact, Fritz et al, in a review on lumbar instability, concluded that, "At present, much controversy exists regarding the proper definition of the condition, the best diagnostic methods, and the most efficacious treatment approaches." Some progress has been made in the biomechanics field toward the formulation and implementation of stability in musculoskeletal linkages and joints. The purpose of this review is to synthesize and interpret the biomechanical foundation for stability while avoiding mathematical complexity, to demonstrate the notion of stability using specific musculoskeletal examples, and to propose the next logical steps to full utilization of the stability concept for optimal rehabilitation. This review is not intended as a scholarly treatise but rather as a short commentary aimed at providing clinicians with a vantage point for making clinical decisions. Finally, because we are spine biomechanists, and because the original work defining the mechanics of stability of musculoskeletal systems used the spine as an example, this article emphasizes the spine in its examples. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2001;31(2):96-100. Key Words: biomechanics, stability

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