Numerical Reconstruction of Traumatic Brain Injury in Skiing and Snowboarding

PURPOSE Proper evaluation of ski helmet designs and safety standards should rely on head impact conditions involved in skiing and snowboarding head injuries. In order to study these impacts, main crash scenarios involving head injuries are numerically replicated. METHODS Multibody models of skiers and snowboarders were developed to investigate 5 common crash scenarios involved in traumatic brain injury: forward and sideways skiing falls, snowboarding backward falls, collisions between users and collisions with obstacles. For each scenario, the influence of crash conditions on head impact (location, speed, linear and rotational accelerations) and risk of injury are evaluated. Crash conditions were initial velocity, user height, position and approach angle, slope steepness, obstacles and snow stiffness. RESULTS 1149 crashes were simulated and three significant levels of impact conditions were discriminated over the investigated crash scenarios: 1) the smallest normal-to-slope impact velocities [6 km/h; 22 km/h] and peak linear accelerations [42 G; 75 G] were obtained during forward and sideways skiing falls; 2) Snowboarding backward falls and collisions between users were associated with high normal-to-surface impact velocities [26 km/h; 32 km/h] and head accelerations [80 G; 149 G] above one published threshold for mild traumatic brain injury but below the pass/fail criteria of helmet standard tests; 3) Collisions with obstacles were associated with high normal-to-surface impact velocities [19 km/h; 35 km/h] and the highest head accelerations [626 G; 1885 G]. CONCLUSION Current impact conditions of helmet standard evaluations consistently replicate collisions with obstacles, but need to be revised to better reflect other significant crash scenarios leading to traumatic brain injury. Corresponding author: Nicolas Bailly, Laboratoire de recherche en imagerie et orthopédie, Centre de recherche de l'HSCM, 5400, boul. Gouin Ouest, local K-4075, Montréal, (Québec) H4J 1C5, CANADA. Tél. : +1 514 567 8296. Mail: nicolas1.bailly@gmail.com Authors declare that the results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. The present study does not constitute endorsement by ACSM. Dr. Bailly and Mr. Donnadieu report personal fees (employment) from Salomon SAS during the conduct of the study. In addition, Dr. Bailly, Mr. Donnadieu, Dr. Masson and Dr. Arnoux have a patent on helmets pending. Submitted for publication March 2018. Accepted for publication June 2018. © 2018 American College of Sports Medicine

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