BIOMECHANICS OF SPORTS RELATED CONCUSSIONS

Lisa Schulte

Introduction Participation in sporting events account

for roughly 1.6 to 3.8 million brain injuries annually.

A concussion results from a rotational acceleration or deceleration injury to the head.

Terms Force- (N)the action of one body on

another which will cause acceleration of the 2nd body unless acted on by an equal/ opposite action

Deformation- change in the shape of the body undergoing the force

Injury- the result of the force Focal/ Diffuse

Factors Affecting Force Analysis

Type of Load direct, indirect

Types of Force Translational (linear), Rotational, Angular

Direction of Force Magnitude of Force Duration of Force

Shorter duration=less damage Rate of Force Region of the Brain

Head Impact Telemetry System HITS is a wireless monitoring system

used to identify hits capable of producing an injury.

Helmets equipped with HITS look and function the same as other helmets

Accurately identifies the location to ± .41 cm

Impacts 15 g or greater are recorded

Applying Newton’s Laws Formula for calculating acceleration

a=(V² – Vo²)/2sg Example:

A=(-3.658 m/s)²/ (2)(0.152m)(9.8 m/s²)=4.49 g

Formula for Newton Second Law of Motion F=mass x acceleration

Protecting the Athlete Helmets

Pressure= Force/Area

Mouth Guards The cushioning effects of a mouth guard

increase time and distance of deceleration

Recent Developments

Return to Play Long Term Effects of Concussions NFL and NCAA rule changes Concerns with Young Athletes