title: Biomechanical study of the efficacy of a new design of wrist guard.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Upper extremity injuries are frequent in the elderly or those undertaking extreme sporting activities. Commercially available wrist guards reduce the frequency of wrist fractures but are not widely used as they greatly restrict movement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A new wrist guard was developed which provided protection to the "impact area" but does not restrict wrist or digital movement. A human hand model and a biomechanical test rig, which allowed the simulation of an adult fall from height, were developed. The ability of the new guard, which was tested with different levels of padding, to reduce peak impact forces and absorb energy on impact was measured and compared to a commercially available wrist guard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of any guard reduced peak impact forces by a minimum of 31.8%. The new guard, despite a substantially reduced impact surface area, demonstrated the same reductions in peak force (48%) and ability to absorb energy on impact as the standard guard when fitted with comparable levels of padding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the new guard, which allows movement of the wrist and digits, demonstrates the same ability to reduce impact forces and absorb energy as a commercially available guard despite its substantially reduced impact area. Such a guard may provide a better compromise between joint flexibility and protection than the status quo.
authors.affiliation: French Institute for Advanced Mechanics (IFMA), Engineer in Machines, Mechanisms and System, France. maurelm_31@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Maurel
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: G E B
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Giddins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001915:Braces; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D014953:Wrist / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation