Death in a head-down position
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Updated: Sep 15, 2026

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
1Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany.
Abstract:
Dying in a head-down position is rare and autopsy may reveal no morphological findings which explain the cause of death sufficiently. Functional changes, mainly postural changes of circulation must be considered to explain the cause of death. Two cases of death are reported where death occurred in a head-down position, among them an autoerotic accident with suspension of a man head-down in a sack.
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