Abstract
Objective: The biomechanics of the head for punches to the jaw and the risk of head injury from translational and rotational acceleration were studied.
Results: Punch force averaged 3427 (standard deviation (SD) 811) N, hand velocity 9.14 (SD 2.06) m/s, and effective punch mass 2.9 (SD 2.0) kg. Punch force was higher for the heavier weight classes, due primarily to a higher effective mass of the punch. Jaw load was 876 (SD 288) N. The peak translational acceleration was 58 (SD 13) g, rotational acceleration was 6343 (SD 1789) rad/s2, and neck shear was 994 (SD 318) N.
Conclusions: Olympic boxers deliver straight punches with high impact velocity and energy transfer. The severity of the punch increases with weight class.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (245.1 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Atha J., Yeadon M. R., Sandover J., Parsons K. C. The damaging punch. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985 Dec 21;291(6511):1756–1757. doi: 10.1136/bmj.291.6511.1756. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gartland S., Malik M. H., Lovell M. E. Injury and injury rates in Muay Thai kick boxing. Br J Sports Med. 2001 Oct;35(5):308–313. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.35.5.308. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Johnson J., Skorecki J., Wells R. P. Peak accelerations of the head experienced in boxing. Med Biol Eng. 1975 May;13(3):396–404. doi: 10.1007/BF02477111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LISSNER H. R., LEBOW M., EVANS F. G. Experimental studies on the relation between acceleration and intracranial pressure changes in man. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1960 Sep;111:329–338. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ommaya A. K., Goldsmith W., Thibault L. Biomechanics and neuropathology of adult and paediatric head injury. Br J Neurosurg. 2002 Jun;16(3):220–242. doi: 10.1080/02688690220148824. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ommaya A. K., Hirsch A. E. Tolerances for cerebral concussion from head impact and whiplash in primates. J Biomech. 1971 Jan;4(1):13–21. doi: 10.1016/0021-9290(71)90011-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pellman Elliot J., Viano David C., Tucker Andrew M., Casson Ira R., Committee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, National Football League Concussion in professional football: location and direction of helmet impacts-Part 2. Neurosurgery. 2003 Dec;53(6):1328–1341. doi: 10.1227/01.neu.0000093499.20604.21. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pellman Elliot J., Viano David C., Tucker Andrew M., Casson Ira R., Waeckerle Joe F. Concussion in professional football: reconstruction of game impacts and injuries. Neurosurgery. 2003 Oct;53(4):799–814. doi: 10.1093/neurosurgery/53.3.799. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shea R. T., Viano D. C. Computing body segment trajectories in the Hybrid III dummy using linear accelerometer data. J Biomech Eng. 1994 Feb;116(1):37–43. doi: 10.1115/1.2895702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smith M. S., Dyson R. J., Hale T., Janaway L. Development of a boxing dynamometer and its punch force discrimination efficacy. J Sports Sci. 2000 Jun;18(6):445–450. doi: 10.1080/02640410050074377. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Unterharnscheidt F. A neurologist's reflections on boxing. I: Impact mechanics in boxing and injuries other than central nervous system damage. Rev Neurol. 1995 May-Jun;23(121):661–674. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zazryn T. R., Finch C. F., McCrory P. A 16 year study of injuries to professional boxers in the state of Victoria, Australia. Br J Sports Med. 2003 Aug;37(4):321–324. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.37.4.321. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]