Pneumatic Boxing Glove Reduces Upward Drift in Peak Force and Loading Rate over a Long Series of Impacts

Abstract

A conventional boxing glove and a prototype pneumatic glove were each fitted to a mechanical fist and dropped 253 times from a height of 3 metres on to a force plate covered by an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mat. Impact dynamics were measured and modelled. From the outset, peak impact force and peak rate of force development (loading rate) were lower for the pneumatic glove. For both gloves, these variables displayed upward drift during the drop series, but the drift was smaller for the pneumatic glove. Consequently, the magnitude of the protective effect provided by the pneumatic glove increased with the number of impacts. For the conventional glove, change in peak force showed a close inverse relationship to force plate contact time (R 2 > 0.96) and the time from first contact of the glove with the force plate to attainment of peak force (R 2 = 0.85). These relationships were much weaker for the pneumatic glove (R 2 = 0.09 and 0.59 respectively), suggesting the possibility of a more complex impact damping mechanism. Following the 253 drops of the pneumatic glove, the EVA mat covering the force plate was replaced, and another 10 drops then performed. Peak force readings were immediately reduced to an extent suggesting that 26%-34% of the increase that had occurred over the 253 drops was attributable to impact-induced change in mat properties. This has implications for future experimental designs. Overall, the findings provided further evidence of the potential of pneumatic gloves to enable safer boxing.

Effect of Pneumatic Boxing Gloves on Impact Kinematics and Their Relationship to Impact Forces

“…In a previous publication reporting on data that did not incorporate glove velocity measures, we noted that force plate contact time was the best predictor of peak impact force for a conventional 10 oz glove while time from initial force plate contact to occurrence of peak force was the best predictor for an ARLI glove [4]. Figure 22 shows that in the current study, too, these variables were strong predictors of peak impact force for each individual glove type, with R 2 values always exceeding 0.96.…”

“…A question arises, however, as to whether there are other contributors to peak force reduction. In one of our published experiments [4], we found that over a series of 250 drops on to a force plate from a height of 3 metres there was progressive upward drift in peak force and loading rate for both a pneumatic glove and a conventional 10 oz glove, with the magnitude of drift less for the pneumatic glove. In the case of the conventional glove, ~96% of the variance in peak force could be explained by variance in contact time, with peak force increasing as contact time decreased.…”

“…We have recently published a series of papers demonstrating that a pneumatic boxing glove incorporating capacity for air exchange with the external environment can substantially reduce peak impact forces and loading rates compared to those obtained with a conventional boxing glove striking a target at similar velocity [1] [2] [3] [4]. This is true across a range of peak pre-impact glove velocities extending from ~4.4 to ~10.0 m•sec −1 , with the latter velocity approximating the maximum level that reportedly can be generated by elite boxers [5] [6] [7].…”

“…Thorough understanding of the mechanism by which the pneumatic glove exerts its protective effect could provide a basis for eventual enhancement of that effect. Our studies have shown that the pneumatic glove prolongs contact time with the target [1] [2] [3] [4] and the time from initial contact to occurrence of peak impact force [4]. Distribution of a given impact impulse over a longer time could be expected to reduce both average and peak force.…”