{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,2]],"date-time":"2025-11-02T09:23:24Z","timestamp":1762075404599,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,7]],"date-time":"2022-11-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1667779200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["PTDC\/EME-EME\/1239\/2021 (BAFHTA)","UIDB\/00481\/2020","UIDP\/00481\/2020","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-022083"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/EME-EME\/1239\/2021 (BAFHTA)","UIDB\/00481\/2020","UIDP\/00481\/2020","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-022083"]}]},{"name":"European Regional Development Fund","award":["PTDC\/EME-EME\/1239\/2021 (BAFHTA)","UIDB\/00481\/2020","UIDP\/00481\/2020","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-022083"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/EME-EME\/1239\/2021 (BAFHTA)","UIDB\/00481\/2020","UIDP\/00481\/2020","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-022083"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The cervical spine is a common site of injury in the vertebral column, with severe injuries often associated with damage to the spinal cord. Several studies have been performed to better understand the mechanisms of such situations and develop ways to treat or even prevent them. Among the most advantageous and most widely used methods are computational models, as they offer unique features such as providing information on strains and stresses that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to help better understand the mechanics of the neck by creating a new finite element model of the human cervical spine that accurately represents most of its components. The initial geometry of the cervical spine was obtained using the computer tomography scans of a 46-year-old female. The complete model was then sectioned, and a functional spinal unit consisting of the C6\u2013C7 segment was simulated to initiate the validation process. The reduced model was validated against experimental data obtained from in vitro tests that evaluated the range of motion of various cervical segments in terms of flexion\u2013extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app122111295","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,8]],"date-time":"2022-11-08T11:31:51Z","timestamp":1667907111000},"page":"11295","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Development of a Finite Element Model of the Cervical Spine and Validation of a Functional Spinal Unit"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7039-5181","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Afonso J. C.","family":"Silva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"TEMA\u2014Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5848-6424","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo J.","family":"Alves de Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"TEMA\u2014Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9751-8807","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"F\u00e1bio A. O.","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"TEMA\u2014Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8081-8336","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariusz","family":"Ptak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroc\u0142aw University of Science and Technology, \u0141ukasiewicza 7\/9, 50-371 Wroc\u0142aw, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3326-6345","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco P. L.","family":"Parente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4000-465 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"319","article-title":"Neck Injuries in Rear End Collisions among Front and Rear Seat Occupants","volume":"16","author":"Loeversund","year":"1988","journal-title":"Proc. Int. Res. Counc. Biomech. Inj. 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