Finite-element stress analysis of the normal and osteoporotic lumbar vertebral body

A finite-element model of an isolated elderly human L3 vertebral body was developed to study how material properties and loading conditions influence end-plate and cortical-shell displacements and stresses. The model consisted of an idealized geometric representation of an isolated vertebral body, with a 1-mm-thick end plate and cortical shell. For uniform compression, large tensile stresses occurred all around the cortical shell just be-low the end plate as a result of bending of the cortical shell as it supported the end plate