Risk Of Head Injury Research Articles

The Incidence and Outcomes of Head Injuries in People with and without Parkinson's Disease.

Fall-related injuries are a major health concern among people with Parkinson's disease (PD). We compared the incidence and post-injury mortality of head injuries and traumatic brain injury (TBI) among persons with and without PD. This register-based study was conducted on the FINPARK cohort which includes 22 189 persons who were diagnosed with PD in Finland 1996-2015. We excluded persons with a previous head injury, leaving 20 514 persons with PD. For each person with PD, 1-7 matching persons without PD and previous head injury were identified with respect to age, sex and residence. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios for head injury. A logistic regression model was used to compare mortality. Persons with PD had 2.16-fold (95% CI 2.06-2.26) risk of all head injuries and 1.97-fold (95% CI 1.84-2.10) risk of TBI after adjustment for age, sex and comorbidities. Persons with PD had a higher one-year mortality after any type of head injury (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.44 95% CI 1.28-1.62), TBI (aOR 1.33 95% CI 1.14-1.57) or non-TBI head injury (aOR 1.72 95% CI 1.42-2.07) than persons without PD. The higher risk of mortality was observed six months after TBI and one month after non-TBI injury in persons with PD. Persons with PD and head injury also had a higher one-year mortality than persons with PD and without head injury. Persons with PD have a higher risk of head injury and a higher post-injury mortality than persons without PD.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Boxing Headguards in Mitigating Head Impact Accelerations That Cause Concussions by Using a Dynamic Head Model

Boxing headguards offer a form of head protection to minimize the risk of head injuries for athletes. Existing literature, however, lacks information regarding the protective capabilities of boxing headguards. This study examined the protective capacity of three boxing headguards in minimizing impact accelerations to the head that cause concussions using a dynamic head model. The researchers implemented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) inserts in one of the headguards and conducted static tests to examine the material properties of the headguards. The researchers also conducted dynamic testing using a surrogate headform to compare the three boxing headguards in minimizing the risk of concussion for measures of linear and rotational accelerations across different head impact locations. The results of this study revealed that TPU significantly mitigated the magnitude of linear and rotational accelerations when compared to the other headguards. This study offers an avenue to improve athlete safety.

Effects of Impact Location, Impact Angle and Impact Speed on Head Injury Risk of Vietnamese Pedestrian Hit by a Sedan

Effects of Impact Location, Impact Angle and Impact Speed on Head Injury Risk of Vietnamese Pedestrian Hit by a Sedan

Smart Helmet As Driving Safety

One of the common causes of accidents is physiological factors such as drowsiness. A helmet is a device used to reduce the risk of head injury when an accident occurs while driving. Helmets placed on motorbikes often experience theft to the detriment of the helmet owner. A helmet was created to reduce the risk of an accident, warn motorists when they are drowsy, and provide a warning when a helmet is stolen. The method begins with designing devices, preparing devices, testing, repairing, and adjusting devices. The main components used are Arduino Nano and Arduino Pro Mini. The input components are a pulse sensor, MPU6050 sensor, touch switch, NRF24L01 receiver, rope clip, on/off push button, and limit switch. The output components are one channel relay, NRF24L01 transmitter, and speakers. From the results of testing the device, the helmet will be connected to the motorbike if appropriately used, the speaker will send a rest notification if the rider is drowsy, and the helmet alarm will sound loud when someone wants to steal the helmet.

Does pre-injury clopidogrel use increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage post head injury in adult patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundSeveral current guidelines do not include antiplatelet use as an explicit indication for CT scan of the head following head injury. The impact of individual antiplatelet agent use on rates...

Understanding Head CT Scan Usage Amongst Adolescent Blunt Trauma Patients Treated at a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center.

Guidelines developed by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) exist to reserve the use of head CT for pediatric patients with a high risk of head injury. However, CTs are still being overutilized especially at adult trauma centers. The aim of our study was to review our use of head CTs in adolescent blunt trauma patients. Patients aged 11-18 who underwent head CT scans from 2016 to 2019 at our urban level 1 adult trauma center were included. Data was collected via electronic medical record and analyzed through retrospective chart review. Of the 285 patients requiring a head CT, 205 had a negative head CT (NHCT) and 80 patients had a positive head CT (PHCT). There was no difference in age, gender, race, and trauma mechanism between the groups. The PHCT group was found to be with a statistically significant higher likelihood of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 15 (65% vs 23%; P < .01), abnormal head exam (70% vs 25%; P < .01), and loss of consciousness (85% vs 54%; P < .01) compared to the NHCT group. There were 44 patients who had low risk of head injury, based on the PECARN guidelines, and received a head CT. None of the patients had a positive head CT. Our study suggests that reinforcement of the PECARN guidelines should occur for ordering head CTs in adolescent blunt trauma patients. Future prospective studies are needed to validate the use of PECARN head CT guidelines in this patient population.

Laboratory evaluation of climbing helmets: assessment of linear acceleration

This study utilized a guided free-fall drop tower and standard test headform to measure the peak linear acceleration (PLA) generated by different climbing helmet models that were impacted at various speeds (2–6 m s−1) and locations (top, front, rear, side). Wide-ranging impact performance was observed for the climbing helmet models selected. Helmets that produced lower PLAs were composed of protective materials, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) or expanded polypropylene, which were integrated throughout multiple helmet regions including the front, rear and side. Climbing helmets that produced the highest PLAs consisted of a chinstrap, a suspension system, an acrylontrile butadiene styrene (ABS) outer shell, and an EPS inner layer, which was applied only to the top location. Variation in impact protection was attributed not only to helmet model but also impact location. Although head acceleration measurements were fairly similar between helmet models at the top location, impacts to the front, rear, and side led to larger changes in PLA. A 300 g cutoff for PLA was chosen due to its use as a pass/fail threshold in other helmet safety standards, and because it represents a high risk of severe head injury. All seven helmet models had the lowest acceleration values at the top location with PLAs below 300 g at speeds as high as 6 m s−1. Impact performance varied more substantially at the front, rear, and side locations, with some models generating PLAs above 300 g at speeds as low as 3 m s−1. These differences in impact performance represent opportunities for improved helmet design to better protect climbers across a broader range of impact scenarios in the event of a fall or other collision. An understanding of how current climbing helmets attenuate head acceleration could allow manufacturers to enhance next-generation models with innovative and more robust safety features including smart materials.

The Mechanical Characterization and Comparions of Male and Female Calvaria Under Four-Point Bending Impacts.

The circumstances in which we mechanically test and critically assess human calvarium tissue would find relevance under conditions encompassing real-world head impacts. These conditions include, among other variables, impact velocities, and strain rates. Compared to quasi-static loading on calvaria, there is less reporting on the impact loading of the calvaria and consequently, there are relatively fewer mechanical properties on calvaria at relevant impact loading rates available in the literature. The purpose of this work was to report on the mechanical response of 23 human calvarium specimens subjected to dynamic four-point bending impacts. Impacts were performed using a custom-built four-point impact apparatus at impact velocities of 0.86-0.89 m/s resulting in surface strain rates of 2-3/s-representative of strain rates observed in vehicle collisions and blunt impacts. The study revealed comparable effective bending moduli (11-15 GPa) to the limited work reported on the impact mechanics of calvaria in the literature, however, fracture bending stress (10-47 MPa) was relatively less. As expected, surface strains at fracture (0.21-0.25%) were less compared to studies that performed quasi-static bending. Moreover, the study revealed no significant differences in mechanical response between male and female calvaria. The findings presented in this work are relevant to many areas including validating surrogate skull fracture models in silico or laboratory during impact and optimizing protective devices used by civilians to reduce the risk of a serious head injury.

Head Injury and Long-term Mortality Risk in Community-Dwelling Adults

Head injury is associated with significant short-term morbidity and mortality. Research regarding the implications of head injury for long-term survival in community-dwelling adults remains limited. To evaluate the association of head injury with long-term all-cause mortality risk among community-dwelling adults, with consideration of head injury frequency and severity. This cohort study included participants with and without head injury in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, an ongoing prospective cohort study with follow-up from 1987 through 2019 in 4 US communities in Minnesota, Maryland, North Carolina, and Mississippi. Of 15 792 ARIC participants initially enrolled, 1957 were ineligible due to self-reported head injury at baseline; 103 participants not of Black or White race and Black participants at the Minnesota and Maryland field centers were excluded due to race-site aliasing; and an additional 695 participants with missing head injury date or covariate data were excluded, resulting in 13 037 eligible participants. Head injury frequency and severity, as defined via self-report in response to interview questions and via hospital-based International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes (with head injury severity defined in the subset of head injury cases identified using these codes). Head injury was analyzed as a time-varying exposure. All-cause mortality was ascertained via linkage to the National Death Index. Data were analyzed between August 5, 2021, and October 23, 2022. More than one-half of participants were female (57.7%; 42.3% men), 27.9% were Black (72.1% White), and the median age at baseline was 54 years (IQR, 49-59 years). Median follow-up time was 27.0 years (IQR, 17.6-30.5 years). Head injuries occurred among 2402 participants (18.4%), most of which were classified as mild. The hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality among individuals with head injury was 1.99 (95% CI, 1.88-2.11) compared with those with no head injury, with evidence of a dose-dependent association with head injury frequency (1 head injury: HR, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.56-1.77]; 2 or more head injuries: HR, 2.11 [95% CI, 1.89-2.37]) and severity (mild: HR, 2.16 [95% CI, 2.01-2.31]; moderate, severe, or penetrating: HR, 2.87 [95% CI, 2.55-3.22]). Estimates were similar by sex and race, with attenuated associations among individuals aged 54 years or older at baseline. In this community-based cohort with more than 3 decades of longitudinal follow-up, head injury was associated with decreased long-term survival time in a dose-dependent manner, underscoring the importance of measures aimed at prevention and clinical interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality due to head injury.

Effect of Active Muscles on Astronaut Kinematics and Injury Risk for Piloted Lunar Landing and Launch While Standing.

While astronauts may pilot future lunar landers in a standing posture, the response of the human body under lunar launch and landing-related dynamic loading conditions is not well understood. It is important to consider the effects of active muscles under these loading conditions as muscles stabilize posture while standing. In the present study, astronaut response for a piloted lunar mission in a standing posture was simulated using an active human body model (HBM) with a closed-loop joint-angle based proportional integral derivative controller muscle activation strategy and compared with a passive HBM to understand the effects of active muscles on astronaut body kinematics and injury risk. While head, neck, and lumbar spine injury risk were relatively unaffected by active muscles, the lower extremity injury risk and the head and arm kinematics were significantly changed. Active muscle prevented knee-buckling and spinal slouching and lowered tibia injury risk in the active vs. passive model (revised tibia index: 0.02-0.40 vs. 0.01-0.58; acceptable tolerance: 0.43). Head displacement was higher in the active vs. passive model (11.6 vs. 9.0cm forward, 6.3 vs. 7.0cm backward, 7.9 vs. 7.3cm downward, 3.7 vs. 2.4cm lateral). Lower arm movement was seen with the active vs. passive model (23 vs. 35cm backward, 12 vs. 20cm downward). Overall simulations suggest that the passive model may overpredict injury risk in astronauts for spaceflight loading conditions, which can be improved using the model with active musculature.

The Dose-Response Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid on the Omega-3 Index in American Football Athletes.

American-style football (ASF) players are at increased risk for head injuries and cardiovascular disease. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are cardioprotective, and emerging evidence suggests benefits for protection against head injuries. However, fundamental knowledge of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid dosing in athletes such as ASF players remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated the dose-response effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in red blood cells (RBC) and as the Omega-3 Index (O3I), in collegiate ASF players throughout a competitive season. Sixty-nine ASF players were randomly assigned placebo (corn oil), or 2, 4, or 6 g·d -1 of DHA supplement. Blood samples were collected at eight time points (T1-T8) over 27 wk. RBC were extracted and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Compliant players who had samples collected at all time points were analyzed. A repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to assess the dose-response effect of DHA over time, and between-group differences at individual time points were assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test. A significant dose and time interaction was found, and all supplement groups had significantly greater DHA in RBC compared with placebo from T2-T8 ( P < 0.05). Athletes receiving 6 g·d -1 of DHA had the greatest O3I, relative to other groups, and the O3I reached steady state by 15 wk. The 6 g·d -1 group surpassed >8% on the O3I at approximately twice the rate of the 4 g·d -1 group (8 vs 15 wk). Our findings provide important fundamental knowledge demonstrating a dose-response incorporation of DHA into RBC membranes up to 6 g·d -1 . Furthermore, 6 g·d -1 of DHA can be used to rapidly achieve a desired O3I (>8%) in athletes in only 8 wk.

A comprehensive experimental study on head trauma in a 3-year-old child due to unmanned aerial vehicle collisions.

Purpose: This research aimed to evaluate the biomechanical impact on a 3-year-old child's head during collisions with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), focusing on the effects of UAV mass, impact velocity, and impact direction, using the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) for assessment. Methods: Experiments simulated impacts with UAVs of varying masses (249, 500 and 900 g) and velocities (19.0, 24.0 and 29.0 m/s) from different directions. HIC values were measured for each scenario and analyzed in relation to the Abbreviated Injury Scale to determine potential injury severity. Results: The findings showed that both the UAV's mass and impact velocity have a significant influence on the HIC value, with higher figures indicating a greater risk of serious injury. For the UAVs weighing 249 g and 500 g, frontal impacts resulted in the highest HIC values; however, for the UAV weighing 900 g, the highest HIC value occurred for the back hit. Moreover, injury risk was found to escalate non-linearly with increased velocity, especially for heavier UAVs. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the critical influence of UAV mass and impact velocity on the severity of head injuries in children. Increased mass and velocity correlated with higher HIC values, indicating a greater likelihood of severe injury. Frontal impacts were particularly hazardous for lighter UAVs, while rear impacts were more dangerous for heavier UAVs. These findings support the need for stringent regulations on UAV operational parameters, focusing on speed and mass limitations, to mitigate the risk of severe head injuries in children.

Head impact kinematics and injury risks during E-scooter collisions against a curb

Head impact kinematics and injury risks during E-scooter collisions against a curb

Biomechanical Investigation of the Efficacy of Conventional Bicycle Helmets at Preventing Facial Injury

Many studies indicate that wearing a bicycle helmet significantly reduces the risk of accident-related head injuries. Less is reported, however, about bicycle helmet use, about preventing facial injury. Epidemiological studies typically report incidences of 'head injury,' though rarely categorize head, brain, and facial injuries separately. Studies that do focus on facial injury suggest that helmets do not provide adequate protection. A 3D biofidelic child head form and two conventional bicycle helmets (that is,” open face") were created in MSC ADAMS™ computer modelling and simulation software. Peak force and linear accelerations were measured for a series of head form impact simulations corresponding to an established testing standard and a newly proposed series of tests derived from modified motorcycle standards, incorporating injury thresholds from the facial bone impact tolerance literature. Almost all impact simulations exceeded the threshold for fracture, soft tissue, and dental trauma. An observational study was conducted using MSC ADAMS™ to assess a helmeted headform's face exposure during impact simulations. Helmets failed to reduce face impact exposure, during all simulations, except for perpendicular cheek impacts. International test standards, therefore, require urgent revision to ensure that face protection is included.

Comparison of Hockey Helmet Lining Technologies in Mitigating Concussion Risk During Simulated Horizontal Head Collisions

The risk of concussions in ice hockey is high despite use of vinyl-nitrile (VN) and expanded polypropylene (EPP) materials in helmet liners. Linings made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) seem to offer better mitigation of impact accelerations. The first purpose of this study was to compare the use of TPU linings to VN and EPP liners on measures of energy absorption capabilities during static loading. The second was to examine the effectiveness of TPU liners in reducing acceleration and risk of head injury when compared to VN and EPP liners during simulated dynamic head impact collisions. The static test indicated that TPU absorbed 38.6% of the loading energy compared to 15.8% for VN and 41.8% for EPP linings. The dynamic testing revealed that the TPU liners outperformed VN and EPP liners at the side, rear boss, and rear locations. Use of multi-material helmet liner made of TPU and EPP is suggested.

Self-reported injuries in 2440 women and girls playing community Australian football: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: The increasing women’s participation in community Australian Football (AF) is accompanied by the risk of serious knee and head injury. However, we know little about these women and their injury profile. We aim to describe the prevalence of prior and current serious injuries and explore the relationship between sociodemographic factors and history of serious knee injury.

The effect of injury reduction exercise programs which contain neuromuscular neck exercises on the incidence of head and neck injuries in football

Introduction: There is growing concern among football (soccer) players, coaches and parents regarding head and neck injuries, including concussion, particularly from heading a ball. On ball-head contact, the player’s head experiences rapid linear and rotational acceleration, which has been associated with an increased risk of injury. Thus, creating a need to explore head injury risk reduction initiatives. One such initiative is to condition the neck musculature of young players by adding neck exercises to existing injury reduction exercise programs.

Head Trauma Exposure in Mixed Martial Arts.

Combat sports training involves a high risk of head injury. Previously published research on head trauma exposure in MMA evaluated only the knockouts (KO), without calculating all head strikes. The aim of the research was to evaluate the total head trauma exposure during MMA competitions among male and female fighters. Two thousand four hundred and eighty-eight MMA fights from all numbered UFC events between 2000 and 2021 were analyzed. A database containing the results from officially published scorecards with information such as the outcome of a fight, its duration, number of strikes (significant and total amount of hits) depending on location and knockdowns was created. Additional video verification of the knockout technique was carried out. The athletes received an average of 2.41 significant head strikes out of a total of 6.30 head strikes per minute. Head strikes were more common in female fights than in male. Women executed more total and significant head strikes per minute than men. Head trauma caused the ending of 31.6% of all fights—more often in male fights (32.2%) than female (23.1%). It was the most common cause of knockouts—88.1%. Professional fights in mixed martial arts involve high exposure to head trauma. A careful evaluation of the risk involved in training in such a discipline is necessary to provide adequate prevention methods.

An investigation of elderly occupant injury risks based on anthropometric changes compared to young counterparts

Objective The objective of the study was to investigate the difference between elderly and young occupant injury risks using human body finite element modeling in frontal impacts. Methods Two elderly male occupant models (representative age 70–80 years) were developed using the Global Human Body Consortium (GHBMC) 50th percentile as the baseline model. In the first elderly model (EM-1), material property changes were incorporated, and in the second elderly model (EM-2), material and anthropometric changes were incorporated. Material properties were based on literature. The baseline model was morphed to elderly anthropometry for EM-2. The three models were simulated in a frontal crash vehicle environment at 56 km/h. Responses from the two elderly and baseline models were compared with cadaver experimental data in thoracic, abdominal, and frontal impacts. Correlation and analysis scores were used for correlation with experimental data. The probabilities of head, neck, and thoracic injuries were assessed. Results The elderly models showed a good correlation with experimental responses. The elderly EM-1 had higher risk of head and brain injuries compared to the elderly EM-2 and baseline GHBMC models. The elderly EM-2 demonstrated higher risk of neck, chest, and abdominal injuries than the elderly EM-1 and baseline models. Conclusions The study investigated injury risks of two elderly occupants and compared to a young occupant in frontal crashes. The change in the material properties alone (EM-1) suggested that elderly occupants may be vulnerable to a greater risk of head and thoracic injuries, whereas change in both anthropometric and material properties (EM-2) suggested that elderly occupants may be vulnerable to a greater risk of thoracic and neck injuries. The second elderly model results were in better agreement with field injury data from the literature; thus, both anthropometric and material properties should be considered when assessing the injury risks of elderly occupants. The elderly models developed in this study can be used to simulate different impact conditions and determine injury risks for this group of our population.

Whitewater Helmet STAR: Evaluation of the Biomechanical Performance and Risk of Head Injury for Whitewater Helmets.

More than six million people participate in whitewater kayaking and rafting in the United States each year. Unfortunately, with these six million whitewater participants come 50 deaths annually, making it one of the highest fatality rates of all sports. As the popularity in whitewater activities grows, the number of injuries, including concussions, also increases. The objective of this study was to create a new rating system for whitewater helmets by evaluating the biomechanical performance and risk of head injury of whitewater helmets using the Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk (STAR) system. All watersport helmets that passed the EN: 1385: 2012 standard and that were clearly marketed for whitewater use were selected for this study. Two samples of each helmet model were tested on a custom pendulum impactor under conditions known to be associated with the highest risk of head injury and death. A 50th percentile male NOCSAE headform instrumented with three linear accelerometers and a triaxial angular rate sensor coupled with a Hybrid III 50th percentile neck were used for data collection. A total of 126 tests were performed using six different configurations. These included impacts to the front, side, and rear using two speeds of 3.1 and 4.9m/s that modeled whitewater river flow rates. Each helmet's STAR score was calculated using the combination of exposure and injury risk that was determined from the linear and rotational head accelerations. The resulting head impact accelerations predicted a very high risk of concussion for all impact locations at the 4.9m/s speed. The STAR score varied between helmets indicating that some helmets provide better protection than others. Overall, these results show a clear need for improvement in whitewater helmets, and the methodologies developed in this research project should provide manufacturers a design tool for improving these products.