Impact Performance Comparison of Advanced Bicycle Helmets with Dedicated Rotation-Damping Systems
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Annals of Biomedical Engineering (Ó 2019) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-019-02328-8
Original Article
Impact Performance Comparison of Advanced Bicycle Helmets with Dedicated Rotation-Damping Systems MICHAEL BOTTLANG , ALEXANDRA ROUHIER, STANLEY TSAI, JORDAN GREGOIRE, and STEVEN M. MADEY Biomechanics Laboratory, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, OR 97232, USA (Received 26 March 2019; accepted 17 July 2019) Associate Editor Joel Stitzel oversaw the review of this article.
Abstract—Bicycle helmets effectively mitigate skull fractures, but there is increasing concern on their effectiveness in mitigating traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by rotational head acceleration. Bicycle falls typically involve oblique impacts that induce rotational head acceleration. Recently, bicycle helmet with dedicated rotation-damping systems have been introduced to mitigate rotational head acceleration. This study investigated the impact performance of four helmets with different rotation-damping systems in comparison to a standard bicycle helmet without a rotation-damping system. Impact performance was tested under oblique impact conditions by vertical drops of a helmeted headform onto an oblique anvil at 6.2 m/s impact speed. Helmet performance was quantified in terms of headform kinematics, corresponding TBI risk, and resulting brain strain. Of the four rotationdamping systems, two systems significantly reduced rotational head acceleration, TBI risk, and brain strain compared to the standard bicycle helmet. One system had no significant effect on impact performance compared to control helmets, and one system significantly increase linear and rotational head acceleration by 62 and 61%, respectively. In conclusion, results revealed significant differences in the effectiveness between rotation-damping systems, whereby some rotationdamping systems significantly reduced rotational head acceleration and associated TBI risk. Keywords—Bicycle helmet, Rotation-damping system, Brain injury, Concussion, Oblique impact, Impact testing, Rotational acceleration, Slip liner.
INTRODUCTION Bicycle riding provides clear health benefits.26,56 In the United States, the number of bicycle commuters increased by 61% between 2000 and 201237 and an
Address correspondence to Michael Bottlang, Biomechanics Laboratory, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, OR 97232, USA. Electronic mail: [email protected]
estimated 33 million children ride bicycles.43 However, bicycling is also the leading cause of sports-related head injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms. Head injury from bicycle accidents caused 80,000 emergency department visits in 2015, with 13,000 of these visits including diagnosis of concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI).15 The associated direct medical treatment cost exceeded $2 billion annually, not including the far greater costs due to work loss and quality-of-life loss.22 To date, bicycle helmets are the primary and most effective strategy to prevent TBI.29 Helmets are highly effective in reducing the risk of skull fracture, penetrating inju
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