"The bear paw is capable of delivering a powerful force"
shaggygod.proboards.com/thread/1199/bear-capable-delivering-powerful-force BEAR-INDUCED INJURIES
Bear-inflicted injuries range from minor, treated on an outpatient basis, to
complex, requiring hospitalization and surgery, typically resulting in significant cosmetic
and functional disability. In this regard, bear attacks are similar to most other animal
attacks, particularly those inflicted by large animals.
The character of such injuries is determined in part by the three main sources:
teeth, claws, and paws. The teeth of bears, especially the canines, are large and sturdy.
Although the teeth are not particularly sharp, the power of the jaw muscles allows the
teeth to penetrate deep into soft tissues and to fracture facial bones and bones of the hand
and forearm with ease. The trauma characteristically results from punctures, with
shearing, tearing, and crushing forces (Figure 43-20).
The claws are another important source of trauma. Although the claws on the
front pads can be as long as human fingers, they are not particularly sharp on grizzlies
and polar bears. The bear’s shoulders, however, provide the force and speed that allows
claws to cause significant soft tissue damage in a scraping maneuver that results in deep,
parallel gashes. Because black bear claws are sharper and more curved, the cuts tend to
have sharper, less ragged edges.
The bear paw is capable of delivering a powerful force, resulting in significant
blunt trauma, particularly to the head and neck, ribcage, and abdominal cavity, especially
solid organ rupture. Therefore victims of bear attacks should be evaluated for occult
blunt trauma.
ORIGINAL PAPER
Large carnivore attacks on hominins during the Pleistocene:a forensic approach with a Neanderthal example
Edgard Camarós