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Cecchi NJ, Callan AA, Watson LP, Liu Y, Zhan X, Vegesna RV, Pang C, Le Flao E, Grant GA, Zeineh MM, Camarillo DB. Padded Helmet Shell Covers in American Football: A Comprehensive Laboratory Evaluation with Preliminary On-Field Findings. Ann Biomed Eng 2023:10.1007/s10439-023-03169-2. [PMID: 36917295 PMCID: PMC10013271 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-023-03169-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Protective headgear effects measured in the laboratory may not always translate to the field. In this study, we evaluated the impact attenuation capabilities of a commercially available padded helmet shell cover in the laboratory and on the field. In the laboratory, we evaluated the padded helmet shell cover's efficacy in attenuating impact magnitude across six impact locations and three impact velocities when equipped to three different helmet models. In a preliminary on-field investigation, we used instrumented mouthguards to monitor head impact magnitude in collegiate linebackers during practice sessions while not wearing the padded helmet shell covers (i.e., bare helmets) for one season and whilst wearing the padded helmet shell covers for another season. The addition of the padded helmet shell cover was effective in attenuating the magnitude of angular head accelerations and two brain injury risk metrics (DAMAGE, HARM) across most laboratory impact conditions, but did not significantly attenuate linear head accelerations for all helmets. Overall, HARM values were reduced in laboratory impact tests by an average of 25% at 3.5 m/s (range: 9.7 to 39.6%), 18% at 5.5 m/s (range: - 5.5 to 40.5%), and 10% at 7.4 m/s (range: - 6.0 to 31.0%). However, on the field, no significant differences in any measure of head impact magnitude were observed between the bare helmet impacts and padded helmet impacts. Further laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the ability of the padded helmet shell cover to maintain its performance after exposure to repeated, successive impacts and across a range of temperatures. This research provides a detailed assessment of padded helmet shell covers and supports the continuation of in vivo helmet research to validate laboratory testing results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Cecchi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ashlyn A Callan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Landon P Watson
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Yuzhe Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Xianghao Zhan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ramanand V Vegesna
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Collin Pang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Enora Le Flao
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Gerald A Grant
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Michael M Zeineh
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - David B Camarillo
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Stitt D, Kabaliuk N, Alexander K, Draper N. Drop Test Kinematics Using Varied Impact Surfaces and Head/Neck Configurations for Rugby Headgear Testing. Ann Biomed Eng 2022; 50:1633-1647. [PMID: 36002780 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-022-03045-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
World Rugby employs a specific drop test method to evaluate headgear performance, but almost all researchers use a different variation of this method. The aim of this study was, therefore, to quantify the differences between variations of the drop testing method using a Hybrid III headform and neck in the following impact setups: (1) headform only, with a flat steel impact surface, approximating the World Rugby method, (2 and 3) headform with and without a neck, respectively, onto a flat MEP pad impact surface, and (4) headform and neck, dropped onto an angled MEP pad impact surface. Each variation was subject to drop heights of 75-600 mm across three orientations (forehead, side, and rear boss). Comparisons were limited to the linear and rotational acceleration and rotational velocity for simplicity. Substantial differences in kinematic profile shape manifested between all drop test variations. Peak accelerations varied highly between variations, but the peak rotational velocities did not. Drop test variation also significantly changed the ratios of the peak kinematics to each other. This information can be compared to kinematic data from field head impacts and could inform more realistic impact testing methods for assessing headgear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyon Stitt
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand.,Sport Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre (SHARRC), University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Natalia Kabaliuk
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand. .,Sport Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre (SHARRC), University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | - Keith Alexander
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand.,Sport Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre (SHARRC), University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Nick Draper
- Faculty of Health, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.,Sport Health and Rehabilitation Research Centre (SHARRC), University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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