The spine consists of vertebrae, ligaments, and cartilage. Many aspects of the spine have been studied including the ligaments. There are seven different types of spinal ligaments, in which the anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) is the main restraint against hyperextension of the spine. There have been multiple tests performed on the ALL and other spinal ligaments including tensile tests and chemical decompositions for collagen content. Studies have shown that the strength of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) increases in the lumbar area. Other studies have been performed to show a relation between the ligament strength and age. Yet, there has been no definitive test relating the strength of the ALL to the percent volume/mass of collagen and elastin in the ligament. In the past, the method of clamping ligaments for testing has changed from clamping the ligament, to clamping the bone that the ligament is attached by damaging the bone. In this study, an emphasis is on clamping the vertebrae with non-destructive to minimal damage methods. Performing tensile tests on the ALL using nondestructive clamps is an attempt to remove or improve the strain between the clamp and the bone interface to increase the accuracy of the ligament strain readings. Once the ligaments have been mechanically tested, the biological make-up needs to be evaluated. In order to determine the amounts of collagen (and which types), two methods are being used; the Western Blot and Gel Electrophoresis.
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