The Interaction of Air Bags with Upper Extremities

Abstract

Sixteen excised cadaveric upper extremities mounted to a four degree-of-freedom universal joint that functioned as a shoulder were studied. The upper extremity position was a `natural' driving posture in a one-hand turn crossover maneuver which represents a `worst case' for deployment of an air bag into a forearm. Resulting forearm moments were used to develop logistic injury risk functions for ulna and ulna/radius fractures of female forearms in the worst case position under air bag deployment. For 50% risk of ulna or ulna/radius fractures, the dummy forearm moment is 61 N-m. For 50% risk of fracture of both the ulna and the radius, the dummy forearm moment is 91 N-m.