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Diagnostics & Prognostics

Paratrooper Landings

Paratroopers have been among those in the Army at the highest risk of serious injuries, and excessive impact forces to the lower leg cause the majority of these injuries.

Laboratory tests and numerical simulations were combined to investigate the mechanical behavior of paratroopers during the parachute-landing fall (PLF) in order to reduce related injuries. Laboratory PLF tests were conducted to evaluate impact forces, kinematics data, and muscle activity. A finite element model of a paratrooper consisting of rigid ellipsoids and joints was generated for PLF simulation, with particular attention to modeling of the complex ankle/foot features.

The passive and active components of the joint are separately represented in the model to better simulate muscle action. The pre-programmed ground roll in the parachute-landing fall was simulated by a perturbation approach. The predicted landing events and impact forces of the model are in agreement with the data collected from the tests. The model can be used to assess the effectiveness of ankle braces and injury potential of the lower extremities in the PLF.