Neck muscle activation and cervical spine posture during impending head-first impacts

Head and neck injuries are common in vehicle rollovers. To provide novel insights into the pre-crash dynamics of vehicle occupants and to improve current surrogate models, we developed a device that records the neck’s vertebral alignment and muscle activity via fluoroscopy and electromyography in human subjects. Previous studies in our laboratory showed differences in neck muscle activation and vertebral alignment between human subjects in an inverted position and during an inverted head-first free fall. Test setup and design are currently being adjusted to ensure a better comparison between quasi-static and dynamic test-scenarios.