A NEW PATTERN OF SPINE INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH LAP-TYPE SEAT BELTS: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

OF 17 X-RAY DEMONSTRATED SPINE INJURIES IN SEAT BELT WEARERS, 10 WERE FOUND TO EXHIBIT AN UNUSUAL AND CONSISTENT PATTERN OF SEPARATION BETWEEN POSTERIOR ELEMENTS WITHOUT THE USUALLY EXPECTED DECREASE IN ANTERIOR VERTEBRAL HEIGHT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PRIMARY TENSION STRESS IN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNUSUAL PATTERN SEEN IN THESE INJURIES. THE MECHANISM BY WHICH LARGE TENSION FORCES MAY BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE LUMBAR SPINE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED. IT IS LIKELY THAT THESE INJURIES WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE PATIENTS HAD BEEN WEARING SHOULDER TYPE SEAT BELTS. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 33, No 3, PP 99-104, 5 PHOT
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan Medical Center

  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109
• Authors:
  • Smith, W S
  • Kaufer, H
• Publication Date: 1967

Media Info

• Serial:
  • University of Michigan Medical Center Journal
  • Publisher: University of Michigan Medical Center

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Injuries; Manual safety belts; Spinal column
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220834
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 26 2003 12:00AM