Citation

Read KM, Burgess AR, Dischinger PC, Kufera JA, Kerns TJ, Ho SM, Burch C. Annu. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. 2002; 46: 289-303.

Affiliation

The Charles McC Mathias, Jr National Study Center for Trauma and EMS, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12361514

Abstract

With the increasing availability of modern occupant restraints, more drivers and passengers are surviving high-energy crashes. However, a large number, especially those involved in frontal and offset frontal crashes, incur disabling lower extremity injuries. In the past, not much attention was paid to these injuries, as they were usually not life threatening. Despite the low AIS scores associated with injuries to the lower extremities, they pose a major physical and psychological burden on patients' and their ability to return to pre-crash functioning. Associated injuries, such as mild brain injuries, and psychosocial factors such as depression, also influence the long-term outcome.