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. 2004:48:287-301.

Gender differences in hip anatomy: possible implications for injury tolerance in frontal collisions

Stewart C Wang  1 , Chris Brede, David Lange, Craig S Poster, Aaron W Lange, Carla Kohoyda-Inglis, Mark R Sochor, Kyros Ipaktchi, Stephen A Rowe, Smita Patel, Hugh J Garton
Affiliations

Gender differences in hip anatomy: possible implications for injury tolerance in frontal collisions

Stewart C Wang et al. Annu Proc Assoc Adv Automot Med. 2004.

Abstract

Male occupants in frontal motor vehicle collisions have reduced tolerance for hip fractures than females in similar crashes. We studied 92 adult pelvic CT scans and found significant gender differences in bony pelvic geometry, including acetabular socket depth and femoral head width. Significant differences were also noted in the presentation angle of the acetabular socket to frontal loading. The observed differences provide biomechanical insight into why hip injury tolerance may differ with gender. These findings have implications for the future design of vehicle countermeasures as well as finite element models capable of more accurately predicting body tolerances to injury.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The left panel shows the direction of loading to the knee-thigh-hip complex during a frontal crash. The right panel shows a 3-dimensional CT reconstruction of the bony pelvis from a frontal crash occupant with a typical fracture to the posterior wall of the acetabulum.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Technique of measuring pelvic angles. The bony pelvis of study subjects was reconstructed in 3-dimensional computed tomography. A) straight lateral view of the supine pelvis. B) lateral view of the pelvis tilted up to the reference seated position. C) frontal view of the seated pelvis. D) oblique view across the face of the right hip socket; this view was used to measure the slope angle.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
A horizontal planar view of the seated pelvis, taken through the center of the hip socket, was used to measure acetabular width/depth and femoral head diameter.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Representative male and female bony pelvis.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Distribution of Open Angles and Slope Angles measured in the left acetabulum of male and female crash subjects. The box encompasses the 25th to 75th percentiles and is bisected by the median value. Observed values less than 10th percentile and greater than 90th percentile are shown as individual points.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Bivariate plot of left acetabular Open Angle and Slope for all study subjects, divided by gender.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Distribution of Acetabular Width, Acetabular Depth and Femoral Head Diameter measurements in the left hip of male and female crash subjects (in millimeters). The box encompasses the 25th to 75th percentiles and is bisected by the median value. Observed values less than 10th percentile and greater than 90th percentile are shown as individual points.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Bivariate plot of left acetabular width and femoral head diameter (in millimeters) for all study subjects, divided by gender.
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9
Bivariate plot of acetabular depth versus femoral head diameter for all study subjects, divided by gender.
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References

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