Grant: Project Grant

Injury prevention is a critical and practical component of the overall approach to lower the burden of spinal cord injuries in Canada and world wide. Mathematical modelling of these injuries is an effective means through which devices and environments for injury prevention can be designed. This research proposal will enhance the development of such a mathematical model of the neck, particularly as it relates to an injury called a 'fracture dislocation'. This is the most common neck injury that results in spinal cord damage and it involves one vertebra moving relative to another or 'shear' of the spinal column. Thus, a major part of the application involves determining the basic 'shear' properties of the cervical spine. This research will give engineers an important tool to design devices (e.g. helmets) and environments (car interiors) to prevent neck injury.