Determining the mechanical properties of the spinal cord are useful to identify its response to sub-injurious loading experienced during normal motion, to evaluate the biomechanics of spinal cord injury (SCI) [1], and to understand the role of the changing mechanical environment in growth and development. While an array of studies have focused on the mechanical properties of adult spinal cords, those properties may not be the same as pediatric spinal cords, which undergoes significant changes during development. Additionally, during embryonic and fetal development, axon growth and neural precursor differentiation into neurons are at their peak.

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