Pre-existing Injuries Increase Bodily Injury

Pre-existing Injuries Increase Bodily Injury

Physical intolerance of the body to the traumatic forces in an automobile crash are more likely to result in significant injury and should be considered more significant than other co-morbid factors. Physical intolerance factors listed in this paper were changes in “bone density, lean muscle mass, [and] pliability of tissues” (Newgard, 2008, p. 1503).

As occupants age, they become inherently more fragile and less tolerant to the multitude of forces involved in an MVC. Medical fragility, as measured by crash-related mortality rates, has been previously demonstrated (Li et al., 2003, p.1503).

This study found there is no real cut off point relating to age.

Pre-existing changes (AKA medical fragility) are the key factors. Therefore, the physiological age of the body is a more important prognostic factor than actual chronological age and arthritic degeneration, no matter the age of the occupant, This is a key risk factor (one of many) rendering an increased incidence of bodily injury.

ABOUT US

Spine & Injury Centers of San Antonio is a local network of 5 chiropractic offices. As a group, we are raising the standard of care for injured patients and their families.

If you have recently been in a car accident, or had a personal injury, sports injury, or exercise injury, and are experiencing back pain, neck pain, knee pain, whiplash, headaches, leg pain, etc, our San Antonio injury chiropractors can help!

Our goal is to get you back to living a pain-free life as quickly as possible.

Click here to find a San Antonio chiropractor near me.

Reference:

Newgard, C. D. (2008). Defining the "older" crash victim: The relationship between age and serious injury in motor vehicle crashes. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 40(4), 1498-1505.