**Basics of Multibody Systems: Presented by Practical Simulation Examples of Spine Models**

Bauer Sabine

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62864

### **Abstract**

Computer modeling is a widely used method to determine the biomechanical behavior of a system. The aim of our biomechanical multibody simulation computer modeling is to consider the characteristics of a musculoskeletal system through the use of knowl‐ edge from the fields of mechanics, anatomy, and physiology in the model in an appro‐ priate manner, in order to obtain as accurately as possible a realistic simulation of the biomechanical behavior of the system. Various application examples of a lumbar spine model that takes the spinal structures with their specific material properties into account are presented: effects of different spine alignments in standing position, effects of overweight on the spinal biomechanics, and application possibilities of biomechanical computer models in medicine.

**Keywords:** multibody simulation, lumbar spine model, biomechanical behavior, load determination, preoperative planning
