HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Greenwald, R. M. Articles by McDonald, T. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Greenwald, R. M. Articles by McDonald, T. R. Related Collections Biomechanics

Dynamic Impact Response of Human Cadaveric Forearms Using a Wrist Brace

Richard M. Greenwald, PhD^*,, Peter C. Janes, MD, Stephen C. Swanson, MS^* and Thomas R. McDonald^*

^* Orthopedic Biomechanics Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah
High Country HealthCare, P.C., Vail/Frisco, Colorado

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Richard M. Greenwald, PhD, National Institute for Sports Science and Safety, 222 Richmond Street, Suite 109, Providence, RI 02903

The purpose of this study was to compare the dynamic impact response of braced and unbraced cadaveric wrists using a commercially available wrist guard. Twelve arms were harvested from six cadavers. Each pair of forearms, one with and one without a brace, were impacted using a modified guillotine-type drop fixture placed over a force platform. Using a piece-wise linear regression analysis, we identified four phases of dynamic loading in the vertical force profile before fracture. These phases included an initial linear loading phase starting at impact, followed by a nonlinear phase, a second rapid linear loading phase, and a final nonlinear loading phase to failure. Three transition points were identified that defined the boundaries of the linear loading phases. Vertical force and impulse were significantly higher (P < 0.01) at each transition point and at failure in all braced specimens compared with unbraced specimens. However, the most noticeable differences were found during the initial two loading phases. Time to each transition point and to failure was not significantly different (P > 0.27) between the braced and unbraced wrists. The results of this study differ from those obtained under more quasistatic loading conditions. Dynamic impact testing suggests that wrist guards may have a prophylactic effect during low-energy dynamic impact situations.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K.-J. Kim, A. M. Alian, W. S. Morris, and Y.-H. Lee Shock Attenuation of Various Protective Devices for Prevention of Fall-Related Injuries of the Forearm/Hand Complex Am. J. Sports Med., April 1, 2006; 34(4): 637 - 643. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Langran and S. Selvaraj Increased Injury Risk Among First-Day Skiers, Snowboarders, and Skiboarders Am. J. Sports Med., January 1, 2004; 32(1): 96 - 103. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M Langran and S Selvaraj Snow sports injuries in Scotland: a case-control study Br. J. Sports Med., April 1, 2002; 36(2): 135 - 140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Ronning, I. Ronning, T. Gerner, and L. Engebretsen The Efficacy of Wrist Protectors in Preventing Snowboarding Injuries Am. J. Sports Med., September 1, 2001; 29(5): 581 - 585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Idzikowski, P. C. Janes, and P. J. Abbott Upper Extremity Snowboarding Injuries: Ten-Year Results from the Colorado Snowboard Injury Survey Am. J. Sports Med., November 1, 2000; 28(6): 825 - 832. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. P. Staebler, D. C. Moore, E. Akelman, A.-P. C. Weiss, P. D. Fadale, and J. J. Crisco III The Effect of Wrist Guards on Bone Strain in the Distal Forearm Am. J. Sports Med., July 1, 1999; 27(4): 500 - 506. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]