Muscular and Kinematic Responses to Rear-End and Oblique Collisions in a Bumper Car-Based Whiplash Model

W. Valdez, J.M. Asensio-Gil, C.J. Carpintero-Rubio, C. Rodríguez-Morcillo, J.R. Jiménez-Octavio

International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury - IRCOBI Europe 2025, Vilna (Lituania). 10-12 septiembre 2025

Resumen:

This study investigates cervical muscle and head–neck kinematic responses during low-speed collisions using bumper cars as a test platform. Thirty-four healthy adult volunteers experienced four collision conditions: rear-end (neutral head), rear-end with head turned ~45°, oblique impacts, and unstructured free-driving to simulate real-world unpredictability. Surface EMG, 3D motion capture, and inertial sensors measured muscle activity and kinematics. Preliminary results show females exhibited significantly higher normalized cervical muscle activation than males across all conditions, especially in the posterior paraspinal muscles during rear-end and oblique impacts. These findings suggest sex-specific differences in muscular responses to whiplash-relevant loading, with potential implications for understanding injury risk. The study provides novel data on the influence of head posture, impact direction, anticipation, and sex on low-speed impact biomechanics.

Resumen divulgativo:

Estudio con autos de choque (34 adultos): las mujeres activan más los músculos cervicales que los hombres en impactos lentos traseros, cabeza girada, oblicuos y conducción libre. EMG y captura 3D revelan que postura, dirección y sexo modulan la biomecánica del latigazo y riesgo de lesión.

Palabras clave: Accident Reconstruction, Injury Biomechanics, Whiplash, Surface Electromyography, Volunteer Testing, Bumper car testing

Publicado en: IRCOBI Conference Proceedings, vol. 25, ISSN: 2235-3151

Fecha de publicación: 12-sep-2025

Cita:
W. Valdez, J.M. Asensio-Gil, C.J. Carpintero-Rubio, C. Rodríguez-Morcillo, J.R. Jiménez-Octavio, "Muscular and Kinematic Responses to Rear-End and Oblique Collisions in a Bumper Car-Based Whiplash Model", presentado en International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury - IRCOBI Europe 2025, Vilna, Lituania, 10-12 septiembre 2025. En: IRCOBI Conference Proceedings, vol. 25

IIT-25-235C