Impact sensors can reduce spinal injuriesRSS Feed

Researchers in New Zealand have developed a new way of measuring the forces of impacts sustained in sports where there is a high risk of serious spinal injuries.

Work carried out by the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Auckland has resulted in a new form of wearable impact sensor that measures the forces that athletes such as rugby players endure during sport.

It is thought the development will reduce the potential for serious injuries in rugby players, as the sensors can be worn in shoulder pads to measure the forces sustained in scrums.

Spinal injuries suffered by rugby players has been the focus of previous research carried out in New Zealand.

RugbySmart, a scheme set up in 2001 to inform players and referees about the dangers of scrums saw a significant reduction in the number of injuries sustained.

Based on data relating to serious spinal cord injuries gathered since 1976, the researchers predicted that there ought to have been just under 19 such injuries in the period 2001 to 2005. There were in fact just eight.

News brought to you by Serious Law specialists in spinal injury.

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