The Biomechanics of Impact Injury: Biomechanical Response, Mechanisms of Injury, Human Tolerance and Simulation

Albert I. King, PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Wayne State University and is widely known for his contributions to the field of impact biomechanics. He has studied injury mechanisms from head to toe, including the brain, neck, thoracolumbar spine, pelvis, knee, ankle and foot. He developed computer models to simulate the effect of impact on the human body and is a strong proponent of using computer models for automotive safety design to reduce the cost of new car design. He believes that injury mechanisms need to be understood because It is better to prevent an injury than to treat it. However, injuries cannot be prevented unless we know the cause. Dr. King was the first engineer in impact biomechanics to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2000. He received many other awards, including the Smithsonian Medal in 1998 and the Kappa Delta Award from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in 1995.