Lower Extremity Injuries in Car Crashes, focusing the Foot, Ankle and Leg

Paper in proceeding, 2025

With the purpose to contribute to further understand influencing factors and mechanisms for lower extremity injuries from car crashes, the current study investigated lower extremity protection over the years in relation to car design advancements, using two well-controlled car model samples. The overall efficiency of the car design advancements for the driver was shown to be approximately in average 60% for overall AIS2+ lower extremity injury risk (0.9% vs. 0.4%), as well as for AIS2+ foot, ankle and leg injury risk (0.6% vs. 0.2%). This confirmed that the car advancements were successful. They were relevant for both females and males, providing substantial injury reduction for both sexes and with no distinguishable injury risk difference in the newer car model group. Foot, ankle and leg injuries are highly related to frontal impacts and front-seat occupants. A case-by-case analysis on the foot, ankle and leg injuries in the newer car model group showed that they are diverse with several influencing factors and that they can occur even at lower impact severity and without foot well intrusion. They were not specifically related to sex nor occupant size, instead the feet positions and the impact dynamics were likely more influential.