title: Comparative study of potential whiplash injuries for different occupant seated positions during rear end accidents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Whiplash injuries to the cervical spine represent a considerable economic burden on society with medical conditions, in some cases persisting for more than a year. Numerous studies of whiplash injuries have been made for occupant normal seated position, leaving the analysis of neck injuries for out-of-normal positions not well documented. For that purpose, a detailed human cervical spine finite element model was developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis was made for four most common occupant seated positions, such as: Normal Position with the torso against the seat back and the head looking straight ahead, Torso Lean forward position with the torso away from the seat back for approximately 10°, Head Flexed position with the head flexed forward approximately 20° from the normal position and Head-Flexed with Torso Lean forward position with the head flexed forward approximately 20° and torso 10° from the normal position.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparative study included the analysis of capsular ligament deformation and the level of S-curvature of the cervical spine. The model developed predicted that Head Flexed seated position and Head-Flexed with Torso Lean forward seated position are most threatening for upper and lower cervical spine capsular ligament, respectively. As for the level of S-curvature, the model predicted that Head-Flexed with Torso Lean forward seated position would be most prone to neck injuries associated with it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the occupant seated position has a significant influence on potential whiplash injuries.
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Faculty, University of Ljubljana.
authors.forename: Senad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omerović
authors.affiliation: Vehicle Safety Institute, Graz University of Technology.
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomasch
authors.affiliation: Vehicle Safety Institute, Graz University of Technology.
authors.forename: Andreas J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gutsche
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Faculty, University of Ljubljana.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prebil
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000145:classification*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D011187:Posture; D011247:Pregnancy; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*