Development of an Infant Head-Neck Musculoskeletal Model to Elucidate Asphyxia Risk

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), often associated with asphyxia, may be linked to infant postures such as head-neck flexion. This study presents a novel infant head-neck musculoskeletal model developed in OpenSim to quantify muscle forces required during chin-to-chest motion. Using motion capture data from a surrogate doll and scaled anatomical data from infant CT scans, the model simulates head-neck flexion and extension. Static optimization reveals higher-than-expected muscle forces, emphasizing the need for accurate scaling to infant morphology. The validated model aims to inform safer infant product designs and posture management to reduce asphyxia risk.