The Impact of Head and Neck Orientation of Head Injury in Boxing

Introduction and objectives: Head and neck accelerations in both the linear and rotational directions might result in brain damage. Although it has received less attention in earlier research, the position of the head and neck during the impact is another element that affects the kind and extent of brain damage. The present study aims to examine how head and neck position affected the biomechanical factors that contribute to head injuries in boxing. Materials and methods: The influence of head and neck alignment on the linear and rotational accelerations of the head during punching in boxing was examined in this study using a computer simulation approach. In this manner, an appropriate head, neck, and punch model were initially generated in Adams software. Then, the orientation of the head and neck was determined using the inverse kinematics approach using Euler angles ZXZ. Findings: The results demonstrated that in the reference condition (the anatomical position of the neck), the maximum linear acceleration and rotational acceleration are g75 and 4044 rad/s ² respectively. The amount of linear and rotational accelerations was unaffected by the orientation of the head and neck in the sagittal plane, but it reduced as the angle at which the head and neck were oriented in the frontal plane increased. Conclusion: It appears that only rotational acceleration which lessens as the head and neck's orientation angle when being struck in the frontal plane increases is what causes brain injury in boxing. It is possible to forecast the severity of the injury and its related risk factors, as well as to adopt appropriate rehabilitation programs, by determining the biomechanical parameters connected to head injury and the variables impacting it.