Citation

Stürtz G. Proc. IRCOBI 1981; 9: 355-362.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the case of child road users the pelvis shows the lowest risk of injury compared to other body regions. Being also located near to the body's centre of gravity, the pelvis is particularly suitable for the diversion of mass forces. For this reason, an analysis will be given of the traumatology, the biomechanics and especially the anthropometry of the child's pelvis, taking the following items into consideration: (1) typical contact region of exterior road users under lateral load; (2) contact region of restrained passenger car occupants under frontal load; and (3) geometrically relevant construction in the case of anthropometric dummies. Using frontal (anterior - posterior) and lateral X-ray photographs of the pelvis with children - given by post mortem examinations -, the typical geometry of the pelvis depending on physiological age is deduced. In addition to this, these results are compared with data of anthropometric dummies. Furthermore, an analysis of the traumatology of the child's pelvis is carried out with regard to type, severity and risk of injuries based on in-depth single-case analyses of real road accidents. The aim of this is to improve the understanding of the special injury mechanisms of this body region respectively to round off the level of knowledge by describing the general biomechanics of the pelvis.