Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
07:28

A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor

Published on: July 24, 2012

19.8K

Disc Injury and Spine Loads in Low-to-Moderate-Severity Frontal Impacts.

Richard Kent1,2,3, Jason Forman4,5

  • 1Center for Applied Biomechanics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. rwk3c@virginia.edu.

Annals of Biomedical Engineering
|July 19, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

Traumatic Brain Injury l: Introduction01:28

Traumatic Brain Injury l: Introduction

37
DefinitionTraumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a disturbance of normal brain function induced by an external mechanical force, such as a direct blow to the head or a penetrating injury. It can affect both brain structure and function, producing a wide range of clinical outcomes. TBI is a heterogeneous condition, meaning its effects may differ based on the type, location, and severity of the injury.Basis of ClassificationTBI is classified based on severity, injury mechanism, or pathophysiology. In...
37
Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology01:14

Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology

43
Spinal cord injury progresses through two interconnected phases: primary injury and secondary injury.Primary InjuryPrimary injury happens at the moment of trauma and involves immediate mechanical damage to the spinal cord.Compression happens when broken vertebrae, herniated discs, or accumulating blood (such as a hematoma) press directly against the spinal cord, distorting its normal shape and function. In cases of contusion, the cord is bruised by a blunt force (like penetrating injuries or...
43
Herniated Intervertebral Disc l: Introduction01:29

Herniated Intervertebral Disc l: Introduction

44
Intervertebral disc herniation refers to the displacement of the nucleus pulposus (the gel-like inner core of the disc) through a tear or weakened area in the annulus fibrosus (the outer fibrous ring). The displaced disc material extends beyond the normal boundaries of the disc space and may compress or irritate nearby spinal nerve roots or, less commonly, the spinal cord.Etiology and Risk FactorsHerniation commonly results from degeneration, in which aging reduces disc hydration and...
44
Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology01:25

Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology

68
Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...
68

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Correction to: Disc Injury and Spine Loads in Low-to-Moderate-Severity Frontal Impacts.

Annals of biomedical engineering·2025
Same author

Methodology to measure seat belt fit in relation to skeletal geometry using an upright open MRI.

Traffic injury prevention·2023
Same author

Evaluation of a diverse population of morphed human body models for prediction of vehicle occupant crash kinematics.

Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering·2021
See all related articles

Frontal car impacts up to 40-km/h do not generate sufficient spinal forces to cause disc injuries in belted occupants. This study found forces were well below injury thresholds and daily activity tolerances.

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Occupant Safety
  • Spinal Injury Research

Background:

  • Understanding occupant spinal loading in frontal impacts is crucial for injury prevention.
  • Previous research has not definitively linked low-velocity frontal impacts to specific spinal disc injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify cervical and lumbar spine forces and moments in belted occupants during frontal impacts up to 40-km/h change in velocity.
  • To evaluate the potential of these forces to cause spinal disc injury.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 282 impact tests involving anthropomorphic test devices, human volunteers, and cadavers.
  • Development of functions to predict spinal loads based on change in velocity for different occupant sizes.
  • Comparison of measured loads to injury assessment reference values and other biomechanical data.
Keywords:
Disc injuryFrontal impactSpine injurySpine loads

More Related Videos

A Novel Vertebral Stabilization Method for Producing Contusive Spinal Cord Injury
09:24

A Novel Vertebral Stabilization Method for Producing Contusive Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: January 5, 2015

17.8K
A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact
07:30

A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact

Published on: September 21, 2017

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
07:28

A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor

Published on: July 24, 2012

19.8K
A Novel Vertebral Stabilization Method for Producing Contusive Spinal Cord Injury
09:24

A Novel Vertebral Stabilization Method for Producing Contusive Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: January 5, 2015

17.8K
A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact
07:30

A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact

Published on: September 21, 2017

9.0K

Main Results:

  • Spinal loads generated were consistently below established injury assessment reference values.
  • Compressive loads were within the range of those voluntarily tolerated during daily activities.
  • Loads were significantly lower than those causing disc injuries in in vitro biomechanical studies.

Conclusions:

  • The study found no biomechanical basis to directly attribute isolated spinal disc injuries (herniations, bulges) to frontal impacts under 40-km/h change in velocity for belted occupants.
  • Results suggest that other factors likely contribute to such injuries in this impact scenario.