A Vibration-Based Concussion Mechanism

Concussion biomechanics are understood through rigid-body head kinematics during long-duration impacts. However, short-duration head impacts represent a distinct loading regime in which skull vibration and flexural deformation may play a role in injury mechanisms not captured by traditional metrics. Here, I suggest that transient excitation of skull flexural modes could help explain how impacts with low-magnitude rigid-body accelerations produce concussion-like signs and symptoms. This mechanism remains a hypothesis and is intended to complement, not replace, established strain-based mechanisms.