Spinal injury analysis for typical snowboarding backward falls.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Spinal injuries (SPI) are a significant cause of death and disability in snow sports.
• Existing back protector testing standards do not evaluate flexion-extension resistance, a key factor in snowboarding falls.
• The specific injury risks associated with excessive spinal flexion during snowboarding falls remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the range of motion (ROM) of the thoracic-lumbar spine during typical snowboarding backward falls.
• To investigate the risk of spinal injury (SPI) associated with these movements.
• To inform better back protector design and testing standards.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a calibrated and validated human facet-multibody model to simulate snowboarding backward falls.
• Varied initial conditions including velocity, slope, posture, angle of approach, anthropometry, and snow stiffness.
• Quantified SPI risk by normalizing simulated spinal ROMs against established injury thresholds.

Main Results:

• A high risk of spinal injury (SPI) was identified in the majority of simulated scenarios (324 total).
• The T6-T7 thoracic spinal segment exhibited the highest injury risk and incidence.
• The thoracic spine was found to be more vulnerable to injury than the lumbar spine.

Conclusions:

• Excessive spinal flexion-extension during snowboarding backward falls presents a significant risk of SPI.
• Current back protector testing protocols should incorporate evaluation of flexion-extension resistance.
• Future back protector designs should consider vulnerable spinal segments, snowboarder anthropometry, and skill level.