Protective Gear and Sports Equipment © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

LESSON OBJECTIVE Students will understand how critical selection, fitting and maintenance of protective equipment are to injury prevention Students will have the knowledge of the varies types of protective equipment available for different sports and proper fitting procedures Students will be able to discuss the importance of protection in contact and collision sports Students will have an understanding of how and when protective equipment should be used to facilitate rehabilitation and Sports activity © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Safety Standards for Equipment and Facilities Concerns relative to materials, durability, establishment of standards, manufacturing, testing methods, and requirements for use Must be in place relative to maintenance Concern should be protective ability not appearance of equipment A number of groups and agencies are involved in standardizing sports equipment and facilities © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Equipment Reconditioning and Recertification National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment established voluntary testing standards in an effort to reduce head injuries Established for football helmets, baseball/softball helmets, lacrosse helmets/facemasks Takes into consideration type of helmet and amount of and intensity of usage © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

NOCSAE helmet standard Not a warranty Indicates that helmet met requirements of performance tests when manufactured/re-conditioned Helmets should undergo regular recertification and reconditioning Will allow equipment to meet necessary standards for multiple seasons © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Off the Shelf vs. Custom Protective Equipment Off the shelf equipment Pre-made and packaged Can be used immediately Neoprene sleeves, inserts, ankle braces May pose problem relative to sizing Customized equipment Constructed according to the individual Specifically sized and designed for protective and supportive needs © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Head Protection Direct collision sports require head protection due to impacts, forces, velocities and implements Football Helmets NOCSAE develop standards for football helmet certification Must be protective against concussive force While helmets must be certified, they may not always be fail-safe Athletes and parents must be aware of inherent risks © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Each helmet must have visible exterior warning label Label indicates that helmet should not be used to strike an opponent due to risk of injury Also indicates risk of injury accidentally and that athlete plays at own risk while using helmet Athlete must be aware of risks and what label indicates Athlete reads and signs statement regarding warning label There are a number of helmet manufacturers, and even more have closed due to lawsuits and liability cases © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Figure 7-1

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Figure 7-2

Helmet Fitting When fitting head/hair should be wet to simulate sweat Follow manufacturer’s directions Must routinely check fit Snug fit (credit card test) With change in altitude bladder helmets must be rechecked Chin straps (2, 4, or 6 strap systems) Jaw pads are essential (prevent lateral rocking) Certification is of no avail if helmet is not fit and maintained © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Figure 7-3

Ice Hockey Helmets Undergone extensive testing in an effort to upgrade and standardize Must withstand high velocity impacts (stick or puck) and high mass low velocity impacts Helmet will disperse force over large area and decelerate forces that would act on head (energy absorption liner) Helmets must be approved by Canadian Standards Association or the Hockey Equipment Certification Council © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Baseball Batting Helmets Must withstand high velocity impacts Research has indicated that helmet does little to dissipate energy of ball Possible solution would be to add additional external padding Helmet must still carry NOCSAE stamp (similar to football label) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Lacrosse Helmets Required for all male lacrosse players Women’s lacrosse only requires protective eye guard Made of hard plastic with wire mesh face guard Designed to absorb repeated impact from hard, high velocity projectiles Goalie helmet add throat protector Figure 7-7 © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Soccer Headgear Designed to reduce incidence of concussions due to heading ball Consists of headband with foam padding No research to support effectiveness in reducing incidence of concussions © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Mouth Guards Most dental injuries can be prevented with appropriate customized intraoral mouth guards Protect teeth, minimize lip lacerations, absorb shock of chin blows, and prevent concussions Should fit comfortably, not impede speech or breathing Should extend back as far as last molar Constructed of flexible resilient material formed to fit teeth and upper jaw Do not cut down mouth guard as it voids warranty for dental protection and could become dislodged and disrupt breathing Three types Stock Commercial (formed following submersion in water) Custom (fabricated from dental mold) Mandated use in high school and collegiate levels © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Eye and Glasses Guards Neck Protection Necessary in sports with fast moving projectiles Athletes not wearing glasses should wear closed eye guards to protect orbital cavity While eye guards afford great protection, they can limit vision Polycarbonate eye shield have been developed for numerous pieces of head gear Neck Protection Serve primarily as a reminder to athlete to be cautious rather than providing definitive restrictions © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Trunk and Thorax Protection Essential in many sports Must protect regions that are exposed to the impact of forces External genitalia, bony protuberances, shoulders, ribs, and spine While equipment may provide armor, it may also be used as an implement Question must be asked concerning necessity of equipment and its role in producing trauma © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Football Shoulder Pads Two types Cantilevered - bulkier and used by those engaged in blocking and tackling Non-cantilevered - do not restrict motion (quarterback and receivers) Rules of fitting Width of shoulders must be measured Inside of pad should cover tip of shoulder in line with lateral aspect of shoulder Epaulets and cups must cover deltoid and allow motion Neck opening must allow athlete to raise arms over head w/out pads sliding forward and back With split clavicle pads, channel for top of shoulder must be in proper position © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Non-cantilevered Cantilevered Figure 7-15 © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Figure 7-16 © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Straps underneath arms should hold pads firmly in-place, w/out soft tissue restriction Combinations of padding (football and hockey) may be used to supplement padding and protection Figure 7-17 © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Ankle Braces Alone or with tape -- they are increasingly popular Significant debate over efficacy Little or no impact on performance Compared to tape, the device will not loosen significantly with use Research also looking at impact on proprioceptive effects Evidence to support use for prevention © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Knee Braces Used prophylactically to prevent injuries to MCL AOSSM has expressed concerns to efficacy in doing so May positively influence joint position sense © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Figure 7-30

Types of Braces Rehabilitative: Functional: Widely used following surgery Allows controlled progressive immobilization Adjustable Functional: Used during and following rehab to provide functional support Ready-made and customized Neoprene (w/ medial and lateral support) Used by those that have sustained collateral ligament injuries Some are also used to provide support in those that have patellofemoral conditions © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.