Padded Helmet Shell Covers in American Football: A Comprehensive Laboratory Evaluation with Preliminary On-Field Findings

Cecchi, Nicholas J.; Callan, Ashlyn A.; Watson, Landon P.; Liu, Yuzhe; Zhan, Xianghao; Vegesna, Ramanand V; Pang, Collin; Flao, Enora Le; Grant, Gerald A.; Zeineh, Michael; Camarillo, David B.

doi:10.1007/s10439-023-03169-2

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Further, we aimed to examine the helmet location of sustained impact (e.g., front, side, top, or rear of helmet) in addition to gameplay characteristics to elucidate if contextual factors from football participation affect the efficacy of soft-shell padding. Like preceding reports [7,8], we hypothesized that soft-shell padding would not reduce head impact severity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Future studies among various age ranges utilizing additional protective equipment such as instrumented mouthpieces may be able to differentiate Guardian Cap efficacy across various helmet makes and models. We were also unable to examine linebackers, a position group included in the NFL mandate and included in prior studies [7,8]. It is unknown if our findings are generalizable to this position group because of differing positional roles and overall RHIE [17].…”

Section: Implications For Injury Preventionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Quigley et al recently observed no significant differences in PLA or PRA among seven players who participated in three practices without a Guardian Cap compared to three practices with the Guardian Cap [8]. Similarly, five linebackers with traditional helmets across 13 practices in 2019 sustained head impacts of equivocal severity when compared to five linebackers using the Guardian Cap across 14 practices during the 2021 season [7]. Although both studies were able to appropriately video-confirm head impacts, video review can also open the aperture to examining the influence of other gameplay characteristics that might influence head impact kinematics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…As such, understanding how personal protective equipment can effectively reduce head impact severity in football is a primary interest for clinical researchers, healthcare providers, and sport administrators. Soft-shell padding has emerged to potentially reduce head impact severity and concussion risk in a variety of contact and collision sports including rugby [5], soccer [6], and American football [7,8]. The Guardian Cap is a type of soft-shell padding that is affixed to a standard American football helmet and is intended to attenuate forces before being transmitted to the helmet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Efficacy of Guardian Cap Soft-Shell Padding on Head Impact Kinematics in American Football: Pilot Findings

Sinnott,

Chandler,

Van Dyke

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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Sport-related concussion prevention strategies in collision sports are a primary interest for sporting organizations and policy makers. After-market soft-shell padding purports to augment the protective capabilities of standard football helmets and to reduce head impact severity. We compared head impact kinematics [peak linear acceleration (PLA) and peak rotational acceleration (PRA)] in athletes wearing Guardian Cap soft-shell padding to teammates without soft-shell padding. Ten Division I college football players were enrolled [soft-shell padding (SHELL) included four defensive linemen and one tight end; non-soft-shell (CONTROL) included two offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, and one tight end]. Participants wore helmets equipped with the Head Impact Telemetry System to quantify PLA (g) and PRA (rad/s2) during 14 practices. Two-way ANOVAs were conducted to compare log-transformed PLA and PRA between groups across helmet location and gameplay characteristics. In total, 968 video-confirmed head impacts between SHELL (n = 421) and CONTROL (n = 547) were analyzed. We observed a Group x Stance interaction for PRA (F1,963 = 7.21; p = 0.007) indicating greater PRA by SHELL during 2-point stance and lower PRA during 3- or 4-point stances compared to CONTROL. There were no between-group main effects. Protective soft-shell padding did not reduce head impact kinematic outcomes among college football athletes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Implications For Injury Preventionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Efficacy of Guardian Cap Soft-Shell Padding on Head Impact Kinematics in American Football: Pilot Findings

Sinnott,

Chandler,

Van Dyke

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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The Impact of Drop Test Conditions on Brain Strain Location and Severity: A Novel Approach Using a Deep Learning Model

Stilwell,

Stitt,

Alexander

et al. 2024

Ann Biomed Eng

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In contact sports such as rugby, players are at risk of sustaining traumatic brain injuries (TBI) due to high-intensity head impacts that generate high linear and rotational accelerations of the head. Previous studies have established a clear link between high-intensity head impacts and brain strains that result in concussions. This study presents a novel approach to investigating the effect of a range of laboratory controlled drop test parameters on regional peak and mean maximum principal strain (MPS) predictions within the brain using a trained convolutional neural network (CNN). The CNN is publicly available at https://github.com/Jilab-biomechanics/CNN-brain-strains. The results of this study corroborate previous findings that impacts to the side of the head result in significantly higher regional MPS than forehead impacts. Forehead impacts tend to result in the lowest region-averaged MPS values for impacts where the surface angle was at 0° and 45°, while side impacts tend to result in higher regional peak and mean MPS. The absence of a neck in drop tests resulted in lower regional peak and mean MPS values. The results indicated that the relationship between drop test parameters and resulting regional peak and mean MPS predictions is complex. The study’s findings offer valuable insights into how deep learning models can be used to provide more detailed insights into how drop test conditions impact regional MPS. The novel approach used in this paper to predict brain strains can be applied in the development of better methods to reduce the brain strain resulting from head accelerations such as protective sports headgear.

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Evaluation of Snowboarding Helmets in Mitigation of the Biomechanical Responses of Head Surrogate

Harmukh,

Ganpule

2024

Applied Sciences

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) during snowboarding sports is a major concern. A robust evaluation of existing snowboarding helmets is desired. Head kinematics (i.e., linear acceleration, angular velocity, angular acceleration) and associated brain responses (brain pressure, equivalent (von Mises) stress, and maximum principal strain) of the head are a predominant cause of TBI or concussion. The conventional snowboarding helmet, which mitigates linear acceleration, is typically used in snow sports. However, the role of conventional snowboarding helmets in mitigating angular head kinematics is marginal or insignificant. In recent years, new anti-rotational technologies (e.g., MIPS, WaveCel) have been developed that seek to reduce angular kinematics (i.e., angular velocity, angular acceleration). However, investigations regarding the performance of snowboarding helmets in terms of the mitigation of head kinematics and brain responses are either extremely limited or not available. Toward this end, we have evaluated the performance of snowboarding helmets (conventional and anti-rotational technologies) against blunt impact. We also evaluated the performance of newly developed low-cost, silica-based anti-rotational pads by integrating them with conventional helmets. Helmets were mounted on a head surrogate–Hybrid III neck assembly. The head surrogate consisted of skin, skull, dura mater, and brain. The geometry of the head surrogate was based on the GHBMC head model. Substructures of the head surrogate was manufactured using additive manufacturing and/or molding. A linear impactor system was used to simulate/recreate snowfield hazards (e.g., tree stump, rock, pole) loading. Following the ASTM F2040 standard, an impact velocity of 4.6 ± 0.2 m/s was used. The head kinematics (i.e., linear acceleration, angular velocity, angular acceleration) and brain simulant pressures were measured in the head surrogate. Further, using the concurrent simulation, the brain simulant responses (i.e., pressure, von Mises stress, and maximum principal strain) were computed. The front and side orientations were considered. Our results showed that the helmets with anti-rotation technologies (i.e., MIPS, WaveCel) significantly reduced the angular kinematics and brain responses compared to the conventional helmet. Further, the performance of the silica pad-based anti-rotational helmet was comparable to the existing anti-rotational helmets. Lastly, the effect of a comfort liner on head kinematics was also investigated. The comfort liner further improved the performance of anti-rotational helmets. Overall, these results provide important data and novel insights regarding the performance of various snowboarding helmets. These data have utility in the design and development of futuristic snowboarding helmets and safety protocols.

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Padded Helmet Shell Covers in American Football: A Comprehensive Laboratory Evaluation with Preliminary On-Field Findings

Cited by 4 publications

References 47 publications

Efficacy of Guardian Cap Soft-Shell Padding on Head Impact Kinematics in American Football: Pilot Findings

Efficacy of Guardian Cap Soft-Shell Padding on Head Impact Kinematics in American Football: Pilot Findings

The Impact of Drop Test Conditions on Brain Strain Location and Severity: A Novel Approach Using a Deep Learning Model

Evaluation of Snowboarding Helmets in Mitigation of the Biomechanical Responses of Head Surrogate

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