Development of a test method for assessing laceration injury risk of individual cleats during game-relevant loading conditions

Abstract

http://shura.shu.ac.uk Development of a test method for assessing laceration injury risk of individual cleats during game-relevant loading conditions Professional rugby union players experience an injury once every 10 matches, and up to 23% of these injuries are skin lacerations. Current regulations to assess laceration injury risk of cleated footwear involve two optional mechanical tests for manufacturers; a drop test and a pendulum test. However, there is limited rationale for these tests and associated impact parameters. A questionnaire among 191 rugby players showed that the ruck is the most prevalent game scenario in which skin laceration injuries occur. During the ruck, laceration injuries result from stamping movements by players wearing cleated footwear. A biomechanical study was conducted to obtain game-relevant impact parameters of stamping in the ruck. Eight participants were asked to perform ten stamps on an anthropomorphic test device. Kinetic and kinematic data were clusteredidentifying two distinct phases of the stamp motion-providing test parameters for mechanical assessment of skin laceration risk. A two-phase mechanical test was designed to quantify laceration injury risk of individual cleats. Phase one represents initial impact and phase two represents the subsequent raking motion as observed in the biomechanical study. Each phase is based on the impact parameters of observed stamping impacts. The developed test method has the potential to be adapted as an international standard for assessing laceration injury risk of cleated footwear. Future research is required to assess the repeatability of this method and its sensitivity to laceration injury.

Padded rugby clothing to prevent laceration and abrasion injuries from stud raking: a method of assessment

“…The current test method validates the developed skin and human tissue simulant using Porcine tissue, a state-of-the-art skin simulant (Syndaver ® ), and past literature. Using this validation process the most replicable and affordable simulant was developed, this adding to Oudshoorn's [20] previously developed test method. However, unless live human tissue is used, the exact mechanical response to stud impacts cannot be known.…”

“…1. This rig allowed for the replication of rugby stud raking conditions previously investigated by Oudshoorn [20]. Both vertical and horizontal force can be applied using pneumatic cylinders, the pressure can be altered to modify loads to suit.…”

“…2. The rig had a minimum vertical force (~ 500 N); therefore, four studs (Gilbert, 18 mm, aluminum (Conforming to regulation 12, schedule 2 [6])) were used in a configuration that matched the front four studs of rugby boot (Adidas, Kakari, SG), so that similar pressures to Oudshoorn's [20] parameters (one stud) could be achieved.…”

“…Its compressive properties matched that of Porcine muscle tissue, with previous research [12] outlining how this was achieved. The skin layer was made from synthetic chamois (2 mm) cross-woven polyvinyl acetate (PVA) (KCIC200, Kent Car Care, Manchester, UK) due to its similar penetration resistance to the skin as found in previous studies [13,20,24]. The skin covered the soft tissue layer to create a dual-layered testbed (10 mm thick in total).…”

Development of a test method to evaluate laceration risk of studded footwear

“…Figure 6.2 shows the observed foot movement during trials where raking was present, split up in an 'initial impact phase' and a subsequent 'raking phase' Although not all trials showed a clear raking phase after initial impact, the raking phase is thought to be an important factor in the development of lacerations (Section 2.3.1 and Section 4.4.3,Oudshoorn et al 2018).…”