BIOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE HUMAN NECK IN LATERAL FLEXION

Properties of the human neck which may influence a person's susceptibility to "whiplash" injury during lateral impact have been studied in 96 normal subjects. Subjects were chosen on the basis of age, sex, and stature and data were grouped into six primay categories based on sex (F,M) and age (18-24, 35-44, 62-74). The data include: measures of head, neck and body anthropometry in standing and simulated automotive seating positions, three-dimensional range of motion of the head and neck, head/neck response to low-level acceleration, and both stretch reflex time and voluntary isometric muscle force in the lateral direction. Reflex times are found to vary from about 30 to 70 ms with young and middle aged persons having faster times than older persons, and females having faster times than males. Muscle strength decreases with age and males are, on the average, stronger than females. Range of motion was determined by using three-dimensional photogrammetry to compute Euler angles relative to the Frankfort plane. Ranges of motion are reported for 6 planar movements (flexion, extension, left and right rotation, left and right lateral bend) and 3 combination movements (left rotation plus flexion, left rotation plus left lateral bend, and right rotation plus extension) chosen to simulate typical lateral impact conditions. For the young subjects, ranges of motion for males and females are similar. In all cases the range of motion decreases with age, with the rate of decrease for males being greater than that for females. Data are presented in a format applicable to biomechanical modeling of the seated human occupant.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Schneider, L W
  • Foust, D R
  • Bowman, B M
  • Snyder, R G
  • Chaffin, D B
  • Abdelhour, T A
  • Baum, J K
• Conference:
  • Stapp Car Crash Conference Proceedings
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 455-485

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Anthropometry; Crash injury research; Gender; Whiplash
• Uncontrolled Terms: Susceptibility
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00130761
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE #751156
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 21 1976 12:00AM