Wrist sprain is a common injury among tennis players, caused by repetitive impacts and forced pronation movements. The 3D forensic pipeline allows for precise analysis of the injury mechanism, integrating biomechanics, medical imaging, and finite element simulation. This approach not only reconstructs the incident but also provides objective data for clinical practice and relapse prevention.
Technical pipeline: capture, segmentation, and simulation of the athletic gesture 🎾
The process begins with the capture of CT scans or MRIs of the carpus and distal radius. Bones, ligaments, and cartilage are segmented using thresholding and region-growing algorithms. Subsequently, a volumetric tetrahedral mesh is generated for finite element analysis. Kinematic data of the wrist during the backhand or serve, obtained with inertial sensors, are incorporated. The simulation reproduces the stress on the scaphoid and the ulnar collateral ligament, quantifying the tension in each phase of the stroke. The result is a risk map that identifies critical angles of hyperextension or radial deviation.
The tennis player, their wrist, and the computer: a complicated love triangle 💻
Because of course, while the tennis player screams in pain on the court, the forensic engineer rubs their hands together thinking about what a beautiful model they are going to build. The wrist becomes a digital movie star: they scan it, crop it, stretch it virtually, and even add stress colors to it. Then the report arrives: something about the 45-degree angle, something about the ligament being fatigued. And the poor player, with their sling, just wants to know when they can serve again. The answer, as always, depends on the model.