Document Detail


Head motions while riding roller coasters: implications for brain injury.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19901817     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) while riding roller coasters has received substantial attention. Case reports of TBI around the time of riding roller coasters have led many medical professionals to assert that the high gravitational forces (G-forces) induced by roller coasters pose a significant TBI risk. Head injury research, however, has shown that G-forces alone cannot predict TBI. Established head injury criterions and procedures were employed to compare the potential of TBI between daily activities and roller coaster riding. Three-dimensional head motions were measured during 3 different roller coaster rides, a pillow fight, and car crash simulations. Data was analyzed and compared with published data, using similar analyses of head motions. An 8.05 m/s car crash lead to the largest head injury criterion measure of 28.1 and head impact power of 3.41, over 6 times larger than the roller coaster rides of 4.1 and 0.36. Notably, the linear and rotational components of head acceleration during roller coaster rides were milder than those induced by many common activities. As such, there appears to be an extremely low risk of TBI due to the head motions induced by roller coaster rides.
Authors:
Bryan J Pfister; Larry Chickola; Douglas H Smith
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology     Volume:  30     ISSN:  1533-404X     ISO Abbreviation:  Am J Forensic Med Pathol     Publication Date:  2009 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-11-25     Completed Date:  2010-03-04     Revised Date:  2011-03-03    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8108948     Medline TA:  Am J Forensic Med Pathol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  339-45     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. pfister@njit.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acceleration
Accidents, Traffic
Adolescent
Adult
Bedding and Linens
Biomechanics
Brain Injuries / physiopathology*
Child
Female
Gravitation*
Head Movements / physiology*
Humans
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
Injury Severity Score
Male
Models, Biological
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
NS 056202/NS/NINDS NIH HHS; R01 NS038104-06/NS/NINDS NIH HHS; T32 NS043126-06/NS/NINDS NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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