Three-Dimensional Head Kinematics During Impact Loading: A Comparison of Human Impact Response to Mathematical Models of the Head and Neck

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) continues to be a major area of medical and biomechanical concern despite improvements in comprehensive trauma care. Acute cervical spine injury accounts for approximately 20% of all in-car deaths. A quantitative understanding of cervical spine biomechanics during impact loading is· necessary to improve clinical evaluative methods and our understanding of injury biomechanics. Knowledge of the three-dimensional cervical spine motion, or kinematics, may also be helpful in developing improved biomechanical models. To date there have been no known studies of head motion in which a detailed three-dimensional kinematic analysis has been performed