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The Management of Disorders of the Child’s Cervical Spine pp 15–25Cite as

Biomechanics of the Growing Cervical Spine

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Abstract

The growing skeleton has distinct structural features that distinguish it from the adults, and few places is this more true than in the cervical spine, where characteristics such as increased ligament laxity, developing bony anatomy, and the presence of growth centers create a unique biomechanical environment. As an example, radiographic findings that are abnormal in an adult—such as pseudosubluxation—may be normal in children, and differentiating age-dependent normal from pathologic states can be difficult for the inexperienced or uninformed physician. An understanding of clinically relevant biomechanical principles of the immature cervical spine is, therefore, essential for any physician treating spine pathology in children.

This chapter begins with a discussion of the normal biomechanics of the cervical spine. Due to the relative unavailability of pediatric cadaver specimens, much of the information provided in the normal biomechanics section is extrapolated from adult studies, with pediatric-specific information presented as available. Specific structural differences between the adult and pediatric spine are also discussed, concluding with a review of clinically relevant biomechanics of cervical implantation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI, USA

    John Kemppainen

  2. Children’s Specialty, San Diego, CA, USA

    Burt Yaszay

Authors
  1. John Kemppainen
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  2. Burt Yaszay
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Correspondence to Burt Yaszay .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Daniel J. Hedequist

  2. Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, USA

    Suken A. Shah

  3. Rady’s Children’s Hospital Associate, San Diego, California, USA

    Burt Yaszay

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Kemppainen, J., Yaszay, B. (2018). Biomechanics of the Growing Cervical Spine. In: Hedequist, D., Shah, S., Yaszay, B. (eds) The Management of Disorders of the Child’s Cervical Spine. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7491-7_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7491-7_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7489-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7491-7

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