Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Fall Height and Impact Strategy on Energy Absorption Ratio Between Shoulder Joint and Elbow Joint

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Falls onto an outstretched hand are the leading cause of upper extremity injury. However, little information is available regarding the effects of fall height and impact strategy on energy absorption ratio between shoulder joint and elbow joint. Twelve male subjects participated in the study. The subjects were asked to perform simulated falls from three different fall heights (5, 10 and 15) using three different conscious strategies, namely Conscious Elbow Dominant Strategy, Conscious Shoulder Dominant Strategy, and Conscious Intermediate Dominant Strategy, corresponding with three different theoretical strategies, namely Elbow Dominant Strategy, Intermediate Dominant Strategy and Shoulder Dominant Strategy for biomechanical analysis. For a fall height of 5 cm, the Elbow Dominant Strategy was found better than other impact strategies, resulting in an Optimal Energy Absorption Ratio of 1.60. For an increased fall height of 10 cm, the Intermediate Dominant Strategy was found better than other impact strategies, with an Optimal Energy Absorption Ratio of 1.99. Finally, for a fall height of 15 cm, the Shoulder Dominant Strategy was found better than other impact strategies, with an Optimal Energy Absorption Ratio of 2.40. The findings presented in this study provide a useful source of reference to clinicians, sports coaches and instructors in devising optimal fall strategies for minimizing the risk of upper extremity injuries in the event of forward falls onto the outstretched hand.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chiu, J., & Robinovitch, S. N. (1998). Prediction of upper extremity impact forces during falls on the outstretched hand. Journal of Biomechanics, 31(12), 1169–1176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Kiwerski, J. (1972). Peripheral nerve injuries associated with traumatic lesions of bones and joints of the upper extremity. Polski Przeglad Chirurgiczny, 44(10), 1519–1524.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Leung, K. S., Kwan, M., Wong, J., Shen, W. Y., & Tsang, A. (1988). Therapeutic functional bracing in upper limb fracture-dislocations. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, 2(4), 308–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Simonet, W. T., Melton, L. J., 3rd, Cofield, R. H., & Ilstrup, D. M. (1984). Incidence of anterior shoulder dislocation in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 86, 186–191.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Nordqvist, A., & Petersson, C. J. (1995). Incidence and causes of shoulder girdle injuries in an urban population. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 4(2), 107–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Zacchilli, M. A., & Owens, B. D. (2010). Epidemiology of shoulder dislocations presenting to emergency departments in the United States. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 92(3), 542–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Robinovitch, S. N., & Chiu, J. (1998). Surface stiffness affects impact force during a fall on the outstretched hand. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 16(3), 309–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Made, C., & Elmqvist, L. G. (2004). A 10-year study of snowboard injuries in Lapland Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 14(2), 128–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Matsumoto, K., Miyamoto, K., Sumi, H., Sumi, Y., & Shimizu, K. (2002). Upper extremity injuries in snowboarding and skiing: a comparative study. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 12(6), 354–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Yamauchi, K., Wakahara, K., Fukuta, M., Matsumoto, K., Sumi, H., Shimizu, K., et al. (2010). Characteristics of upper extremity injuries sustained by falling during snowboarding: A study of 1918 cases. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 38(7), 1468–1474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Palvanen, M., Kannus, P., Parkkari, J., Pitkajarvi, T., Pasanen, M., Vuori, I., et al. (2000). The injury mechanisms of osteoporotic upper extremity fractures among older adults: a controlled study of 287 consecutive patients and their 108 controls. Osteoporosis International, 11(10), 822–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Chou, P. H., Chou, Y. L., Lin, C. J., Su, F. C., Lou, S. Z., Lin, C. F., et al. (2001). Effect of elbow flexion on upper extremity impact forces during a fall. Clinical Biomechanics, 16(10), 888–894.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chou, P. H., Chen, S. K., Chou, Y. L., Su, F. C., Shi, Y. C., Huang, G. F., et al. (2002). Biomechanical analyses for the effects of elbow initial flexion angles on upper extremity during a fall. Biomedical Engineering: Applications, Basis and Communications, 14(1), 40–46.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Chou, P. H., Lou, S. Z., Chen, H. C., Chiu, C. F., & Chou, Y. L. (2009). Effect of various forearm axially rotated postures on elbow load and elbow flexion angle in one-armed arrest of a forward fall. Clinical Biomechanics, 24(8), 632–636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Chou, P. P. H., Chen, H. C., Hsu, H. H., Huang, Y. P., Wu, T. C., & Chou, Y. L. (2012). Effect of upper extremity impact strategy on energy distribution between elbow joint and shoulder joint in forward falls. Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering, 32(3), 175–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. DeGoede, K. M., & Ashton-Miller, J. A. (2002). Fall arrest strategy affects peak hand impact force in a forward fall. Journal of Biomechanics, 35(6), 843–848.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hsu, H. H., Chou, Y. L., Lou, S. Z., Huang, M. J., & Chou, P. P. (2011). Effect of forearm axially rotated posture on shoulder load and shoulder abduction/flexion angles in one-armed arrest of forward falls. Clinical Biomechanics, 26(3), 245–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Josephs, H., & Huston, R. (2002). Dynamics of mechanical systems. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. de Leva, P. (1996). Joint center longitudinal positions computed from a selected subset of Chandler’s data. Journal of Biomechanics, 29(9), 1231–1233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Haug, E. J. (1989). Computer aided kinematics and dynamics of mechanical systems. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Winter, D. A. (2009). Biomechanics and motor control of human movement. New York: Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  22. Donkers, M. J., An, K. N., Chao, E. Y., & Morrey, B. F. (1993). Hand position affects elbow joint load during push-up exercise. Journal of Biomechanics, 26(6), 625–632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Wu, G., van der Helm, F. C., Veeger, H. E., Makhsous, M., Van Roy, P., Anglin, C., et al. (2005). ISB recommendation on definitions of joint coordinate systems of various joints for the reporting of human joint motion–Part II: shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Journal of Biomechanics, 38(5), 981–992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Dempster, W. T. (1995). Space requirements of the seated operator, geometrical, kinematic, and mechanical aspects of the body with special reference to the limbs. Technical Report (55–159) (AD 87892). Wright Air Development Center, Air Research and Development Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH.

  25. Woltring, H. J. (1986). A fortran package for generalized, cross-validatory spline smoothing and differentiation. Advances in Engineering Software (1978), 8(2), 104–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Chou, P. H., Chou, Y. L., Lee, S. L., You, J. Y., Su, F. C., & Chen, H. S. (2001). Kinematical strategy to regain balance during a forward fall on a slippery floor. Biomedical Engineering: Applications, Basis and Communications, 13(1), 27–32.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chaffin, D. B., Andersson, G., & Martin, B. J. (1999). Occupational biomechanics. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Huston, R. L., & Liu, Y. S. (1996). Optimal human posture-analysis of a waitperson holding a tray. The Ohio Journal of Science, 96(4–5), 93–96.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided to this study by the National Science Council of Taiwan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807

    Paul Pei-Hsi Chou

  2. Division of Sport Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807

    Paul Pei-Hsi Chou

  3. School of Occupational Therapy, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, 402

    Shu-Zon Lou

  4. Occupational Therapy Room, Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, 402

    Shu-Zon Lou

  5. Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, Taiwan, 70101

    Yen-Po Huang, Hon-Yu Chen & You-Li Chou

Authors
  1. Paul Pei-Hsi Chou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shu-Zon Lou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yen-Po Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hon-Yu Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. You-Li Chou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to You-Li Chou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chou, P.PH., Lou, SZ., Huang, YP. et al. Effects of Fall Height and Impact Strategy on Energy Absorption Ratio Between Shoulder Joint and Elbow Joint. J. Med. Biol. Eng. 38, 378–386 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-017-0342-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-017-0342-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation