Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Biomechanical Research on Lumbar Intervertebral Disc

Zhaomeng Hou; Wei Wang; Shaoting Su; Yixin Chen; Longhao Chen; Yan Lu; Honghai Zhou

doi:10.2147/JPR.S428991

Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Biomechanical Research on Lumbar Intervertebral Disc

J Pain Res. 2023 Oct 17:16:3441-3462. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S428991. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhaomeng Hou^#^{1

2

3}, Wei Wang^#⁴, Shaoting Su¹, Yixin Chen⁴, Longhao Chen^{1

5}, Yan Lu^{1

5

6}, Honghai Zhou^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Yancheng TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Yancheng, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Yancheng TCM Hospital, Yancheng, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
⁵ Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Injury Repair in Traditional Chinese Medicine Orthopedics and Traumatology, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
⁶ Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, People's Republic of China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Biomechanical research on the lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) provides valuable information for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of related diseases, and has received increasing attention. Using bibliometric methods and visualization techniques, this study investigates for the first time the research status and development trends in this field, with the aim of providing guidance and support for subsequent research.

Methods: The Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-Expanded) within the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was used as the data source to select literature published from 2003 to 2022 related to biomechanical research on lumbar IVD. VOSviewer 1.6.19 and CiteSpace 6.2.R2 visualization software, as well as the online analysis platform of literature metrology, were utilized to generate scientific knowledge maps for visual display and data analysis.

Results: The United States is the most productive country in this field, with the Ulm University making the largest contribution. Wilke HJ is both the most prolific author and one of the highly cited authors, while Adams MA is the most cited author. Spine, J Biomech, Eur Spine J, Spine J, and Clin Biomech are not only the journals with the highest number of publications, but also highly cited journals. The main research topics in this field include constructing and validating three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) of lumbar spine, measuring intradiscal pressure, exploring the biomechanical effects and related risk factors of lumbar disc degeneration, studying the mechanical responses to different torque load combinations, and classifying lumbar disc degeneration based on magnetic resonance images (MRI), which are also the hot research themes in recent years.

Conclusion: This study systematically reviews the knowledge system and development trends in the field of biomechanics of lumbar IVD, providing valuable references for further research.

Keywords: CiteSpace; VOSviewer; bibliometric; biomechanics; lumbar intervertebral disc; visualization analysis.

Grants and funding

The study was supported by the Innovation Project of Guangxi Graduate Education (No. YCBXJ2022004), the Guangxi Construction Project of Studio for Famous TCM Experts (GZYKJF [2021] No.6, No.2022004-005-008), and Research Center for Academic Thought and Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Inheritance and Development of Chinese Medicine Master Wei Guikang at Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Sponsored Project (No. 2022V001).