IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i21p6991-d1269403.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Aaron M. Sinnott

    (Matthew Gfeller Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Madison C. Chandler

    (Matthew Gfeller Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Charles Van Dyke

    (Matthew Gfeller Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • David L. Mincberg

    (Campus Health Services, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Hari Pinapaka

    (Matthew Gfeller Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Bradley J. Lauck

    (Matthew Gfeller Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Jason P. Mihalik

    (Matthew Gfeller Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

Abstract

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/s 2 ) 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 (F 1,963 = 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.

Suggested Citation

  • Aaron M. Sinnott & Madison C. Chandler & Charles Van Dyke & David L. Mincberg & Hari Pinapaka & Bradley J. Lauck & Jason P. Mihalik, 2023. "Efficacy of Guardian Cap Soft-Shell Padding on Head Impact Kinematics in American Football: Pilot Findings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:21:p:6991-:d:1269403
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/21/6991/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/21/6991/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:21:p:6991-:d:1269403. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.