A mechanism of injury to the forefoot in car crashes

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Smith, B. R.¹; Begeman, P. C.¹; Leland, R.²; Levine, R. S.¹; Yang, K. H.¹; King, A. I.¹

A mechanism of injury to the forefoot in car crashes

Proceedings of the 2003 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact

Affiliations

¹Bioengineering Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202

²Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202
Abstract and keywords

The purpose of this study was to determine a mechanism of injury of the forefoot observed in some frontal offset car crashes. To verify an injury mechanism, research was conducted in an effort to reproduce Lisfranc type injuries in the cadaver. Impact tests conducted at speeds of up to 16 m/s simulated knee-leg-foot entrapment, floor pan intrusions, whole-body deceleration, muscle tension and foot/pedal interaction. Two possible mechanisms of injury were investigated the Plantar Nominal Configuration and the Plantar Flexed Configuration. The configuration of the foot made a difference in the frequency and severity of the injuries.

Keywords: Forefoot injuries; Lisfranc type injuries; Metatarsal injuries; Tarsometatarsal injuries; Ligamentous injury

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Cited By (8)

Year	Entry
2015	Salzar RS, Lievers WB, Bailey AM, Crandall JR. Leg, foot, and ankle injury biomechanics. In: Yoganandan N, Nahum AM, Melvin JW, eds. Accidental Injury: Biomechanics and Prevention. 3rd ed. New York: Springer; 2015:499-547.
2011	Scullion P, Morgan RM, Digges K, Kan C-D. Frontal crashes between the longitudinal rails. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 13-16, 2011; Washington, DC.
2012	Morgan RM, Cui C, Marzougui D, Digges KH, Cao L, Kan C. Frontal pole impacts. In: Proceedings of the 2012 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 12-14, 2012; Dublin, Ireland.155-165.
2012	Frimenko RE, Lievers WB, Riley PO, Crandall JR, Kent RW. A method to induce navicular‐cuneiform/cuneiform‐first metatarsal sprain in athletes. In: Proceedings of the 2012 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 12-14, 2012; Dublin, Ireland.265-276.
2007	Buyuk M, Ozkan D, Morgan RM, Digges KH. Using forefoot acceleration to predict forefoot trauma in frontal crashes. In: Proceedings of the SAE World Congress & Exhibition. April 16-19, 2007; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers. SAE 2007-01-0704.
2011	Funk JR. Ankle injury mechanisms: lessons learned from cadaveric studies. Clin Anat. April 2011;24(3):350-361.
2015	Lievers WB, Frimenko RE, McCullough KA, Crandall JR, Kent RW. Etiology and biomechanics of midfoot (Lisfranc) injuries in athletes. Crit Rev Biomed Eng. 2015;43(2-3):213-238.
2019	Acharya I, Van Tuyl JT, de Lange J, Quenneville CE. A force-sensing insole to quantify impact loading to the foot. J Biomech Eng. February 2019;141(2):024501.