Nightingale R W, Richardson W J, Myers B S
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1997 Oct 15;22(20):2380-7. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199710150-00012.
This is an in vitro study comparing cervical spine injuries produced in rigid head impacts and in padded head impacts.
To test the hypothesis that deformable impact surfaces pose a greater risk for cervical spine injury than rigid surfaces using a cadaver-based model that includes the effects of the head and torso masses.
It is widely assumed that energy-absorbing devices that protect the head from injury also reduce the risk for neck injury. However, this has not been demonstrated in any experimental or epidemiologic study. On the contrary, some studies have shown that padded surfaces have no effect on neck injury risk, and others have suggested that they can increase risk.
Experiments were performed on 18 cadaveric cervical spines to test 6 combinations of impact angle and impact surface padding. The impact surface was oriented at -15 degrees (posterior impact), 0 degree (vertex impact), or +15 degrees (anterior impact). The impact surface was either a 3-mm sheet of lubricated Teflon or 5 cm of polyurethane foam.
Impacts onto padded surfaces produced significantly larger neck impulses (P = 0.00023) and a significantly greater frequency of cervical spine injuries than rigid impacts (P = 0.0375). The impact angle was also correlated with injury risk (P < 0.00001).
These experiments suggest that highly deformable, padded contact surfaces should be used carefully in environments where there is the risk for cervical spine injury. The results also suggest that the orientation of the head, neck, and torso relative to the impact surface is of equal if not greater importance in neck injury risk.
这是一项体外研究，比较刚性头部撞击和有衬垫头部撞击所导致的颈椎损伤。
使用包含头部和躯干质量影响的尸体模型，检验以下假设：与刚性表面相比，可变形撞击表面会给颈椎损伤带来更大风险。
人们普遍认为，能保护头部免受损伤的能量吸收装置也会降低颈部受伤风险。然而，尚无任何实验或流行病学研究证实这一点。相反，一些研究表明，有衬垫表面对颈部损伤风险没有影响，还有一些研究则暗示它们可能会增加风险。
对18个尸体颈椎进行实验，以测试撞击角度和撞击表面衬垫的6种组合。撞击表面的角度为-15度（后撞击）、0度（顶点撞击）或+15度（前撞击）。撞击表面要么是一块3毫米厚的润滑特氟龙片，要么是5厘米厚的聚氨酯泡沫。
与刚性撞击相比，有衬垫表面的撞击产生的颈部冲量显著更大（P = 0.00023），颈椎损伤的频率也显著更高（P = 0.0375）。撞击角度也与损伤风险相关（P < 0.00001）。
这些实验表明，在存在颈椎损伤风险的环境中，应谨慎使用高度可变形的有衬垫接触表面。结果还表明，头部、颈部和躯干相对于撞击表面的方位对颈部损伤风险的影响即便不更大，至少也是同等重要的。
