The incidence of disc herniation is showing an increasing trend as the population ages, and 11% of patients with lumbar disc herniation experience severe disability. 170 , 171 Located between vertebrae, intervertebral discs are fibrocartilaginous tissues that act as shock absorbers by promoting the of the trunk and distributing mechanical loads along the spine. 172 Normal intervertebral discs consist of the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the external annulus fibrosus (AF), which forms a ring structure that surrounds the NP and is linked to the neighboring vertebral body via cartilaginous endplates.
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