Ms Pittelkau

2.10 The student will understand the basic principles and concepts of protective equipment (sport specific).

Commercial Stock vs Custom Protective Devices Stock: Premade Prepackaged For immediate use Can cause sizing issues Custom: Constructed according to the individual characteristics of an athlete Can be specifically sized and made to fit the protection and support needs of the individual

Head Protection Collision sports require special protective equipment Football provides more frequent opportunities for body contact than hockey Hockey players move faster which causes greater impact forces

Football Helemts National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) Developed standards for football helmet certification Helmet must protect against concussive forces that may hurt the brain

Helmets Each helmet must have visible, exterior warning label from NOCSAE or similar Attached by the manufacturer AND the reconditioner Each player should read the label Air and fluid helmet Make sure player’s hair is wet when fitting helmet to make fitting easier -Air bladder helmet If travelling to different altitude, check helmet fit Routinely check helmets for proper fit

Chin Straps 2 strap 4 strap Preferred by a lot of coaches because it keeps the helmet from tilting forward and backward Should always be locked so that it can’t be released by a hard external force to the helmet

Jaw Pads Keep helmet from rocking laterally (side-to-side) Always fit snugly against the athlete’s cheekbones

Ice Hockey Helmets Must withstand high velocity impacts and high mass, low velocity forces from running into sideboard or falling on the ice Must be approved from the Canadian Standards Association (CSA)

Baseball Helmets Runner and on-deck batter must wear helmet NOCSAE stamp needed Some baseball/softball helmets don’t do much to dissipate the energy of the ball during impact, but adding padding and/or ear flap will help

Face Protection Full face guards Mouth guards Ear guards Eye protection devices

Face Guards Protect against flying objects during a collision with another player Type of facemask in football depends on position played

Laryngotracheal Protection If injured it can be FATAL!!!! Baseball catchers, lacrosse goalies, ice hockey goalies Should all have protection in this area

Mouth Protection Mouth guards help protect not only teeth, but concussions too Help prevent cuts to lips, mouth, cheeks Helps prevent teeth injuries Helps prevent from breaking jaw

Mouth cont.. Mouth piece should fit tightly, be comfortable, not restrict breathing, and not cause difficulty talking Cutting down a mouth piece invalidates the manufacturer’s warranty against dental injuries Types: Stock, boil-n-bite, custom

Eye Protection Devices National Society to Prevent Blindness estimates that the highest percentage of eye injuries are sports or play related Glasses – Can provide good protection during sport even though they may be bothersome

Contacts Become part of the eye and move with it Can be costly compared to glasses Eye and glass guards Field hockey lacrosse

Neck Protection There are cervical collars Having proper technique and playing safely help prevent injuries