How to Reduce the Risk of Impact Injuries

Do you know the factors that influence your risk of an impact injury? Each year, millions of North Americans suffer life-changing or fatal injuries, with 224,935 injury-related deaths being reported in the US in 2021 alone. Knowing the many risk factors and available prevention measures associated with a wide range of activities and professions such as those in the military or policing field, as well as amateur and professional sports, harm reduction strategies and sustainable safety practices are necessary.

Hope for the best, plan for the worst. At Biokinetics, we understand the value of impact injury research for accurate assessment of the many risks and challenges facing individuals and communities. For more than 45 years, we’ve partnered with regulators, governing bodies and industry across North America to consult and assess injury risks and prevention measures to provide you with information you can trust when it matters most. From protective armour evaluation to understanding human injury tolerances and more, we have you covered.

Below, we’ll take a look at specific measures that can help reduce the risk of impact-related injuries, and how biomechanical analysis can create a safer path forward for everyone. Read on to learn more.

What Are Impact Injuries?

Impact injuries are, as the name suggests, injuries sustained as the result of a collision between the human body and another individual or object. From car accidents to shootings, tackling and other sports plays, there are countless ways to sustain an impact injury, often with life-altering results. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, musculo-skeletal injuries and blast exposure injuries have long-lasting consequences making it increasingly important to understand the given risk of such occurrences in any situation.

Those involved in higher risk environments, whether by profession or recreational pursuit, need to be aware of the dangers of impact injuries as well as the available measures to safeguard against them.

Individual-Based Protective Measures

While protective equipment (more on that below) is one line of defense during high-risk activities, there are some standard practices and points of information to keep in mind to lower your chances for harm. These factors include:

• Remaining alert and aware of surrounding hazards
• Plan for the worst and identify methods to minimize the risk of encountering those hazards
• Be educated on the risks and consequences of those risks
• Using and properly maintaining external protective equipment in situations that demand additional safeguards

Externally Accessible Measures

As mentioned above, there are many scenarios where simply being alert and prepared is not enough to adequately reduce your risk quotient. In the military or policing fields, for example, there is a high likelihood of being exposed to dangerous situations that demand reliable protection from external assailants. Similarly, in a professional sporting scenario, impacts are an inevitability that need to be addressed. In such cases, it is essential to:

• Assess the type and level of equipment needed for your application
• Ensure that equipment is able to meet the safety rating needed for your conditions
• Provide adequate training and/or education for those wearing protective gear and/or using protective equipment to maximize their benefits
• Routinely monitor and replace worn-out devices and gear to avoid the safety rating being compromised.
  
  Evaluate Impact Injury Risk with Confidence

Founded in 1975 and based in Ottawa, Ontario, Biokinetics is dedicated to the prevention of impact injuries and the reduction of injury risk in the job field. We are proud of our team of industry experts and highly trained engineers that conduct thorough risk and performance analysis as well as ballistic and blunt trauma testing on helmets, padding, personal body armour and more.

Learn more about our impact injury research services by contacting our team directly today!