Evaluation of Forward Fall on the Outstretched Hand Using MADYMO Human Body Model

Falls and their related injuries pose a significant risk to human health. One of the most common falls, the forward fall, frequently occurs among adults and the elderly. In this study, we propose using a human body model, developed using the MAthematical DYnamic MOdel (MADYMO) software, in place of human subjects, to investigate forward fall-related injuries. The MADYMO human body model is capable of simulating items that cannot be assessed on human subjects, such as human kinematics, human dynamics, and the possibility of injuries. In order to achieve our goal, a set of experiments was conducted to measure the impact force during a worst-case forward fall scenario (the outstretched hand position) for two short fall heights. Similar to the experimental design used on the human subjects, we generated a MADYMO human model. After performing the simulations, the results of the experiment on the human subjects and the MADYMO simulation model were compared. We demonstrated a significant correlation between the MADYMO simulation and the human subject experiments with respect to the magnitude and timing of the impact forces. Consequently, we validated the MADYMO human body model as a means to accurately assess forward fall-related injuries. Additionally, we compared the predicted results of a mathematical model with the MADYMO human body model. The MADYMO model is reliable and can demonstrate an accurate impact time. Therefore, we conclude that the MADYMO human model can be utilized as a reliable model to investigate forward fall-related injuries from a typical standing position.