Head impacts in non-helmeted sports: Measuring and locating the impact force

Mild traumatic brain injury within contact sports is a growing concern due to the serious risk of and concussion. Extensive research being conducted looking into head kinematics during impacts in non-helmeted utilizing instrumented mouthguards, allowing researchers record accelerations velocities after an impact. This does not, however, allow location impact on head, its magnitude orientation, be determined. proposes validates algorithm using rigid body dynamics that approximates force determines orientation from mouthguard kinematic data. Impact data captured experimental laboratory test five finite element simulations are used validate algorithm. The obtained results both validation methods highlight effectiveness proposed as locations were calculated 12 mm center for all tests. Additionally, components unit vectors (direction cosines) ±0.03, which equates less than 11% applied vectors, highlighting accuracy direction vector established has potential significantly aid conducting field tests by reducing time required analyze determine locations.