Chapter 6: Selecting and Using Protective Sports Equipment

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Chapter 6: Selecting and Using Protective Sports Equipment


• Selection, fitting and maintenance of protective equipment are critical in injury prevention

• Athletic trainers and coaches must have knowledge of protective equipment available for different sports and proper fitting procedures

• Protection is critical in contact and collision sports


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


Equipment Reconditioning and Recertification

• NOCSAE has established test standards in order to reduce head injuries– Set minimum safety requirements for helmets and

masks for football, baseball/softball and lacrosse– Accepted standards for various regulatory bodies

in sports

• Type of helmet, amount of use/intensity will determine condition of help over a period of time


• NOCSAE label does not warranty helmets – Indicates helmet met requirements when manufactured or

reconditioned• NOCSAE recommends reconditioning and

recertification of equipment– Consumer should use discretion based on use

• Helmets undergoing reconditioning can meet performance for many seasons depending on model & usage– Will help equipment last longer– If not kept clean various skin conditions and infections can

be unnecessarily transferred


Legal Concerns

• Increasing amount of litigation regarding equipment– Must foresee all uses and misuses and warn

user against potential risks inherent in equipment misuse

• If equipment results in injury due to defect or inadequacy for intended use manufacturer is liable

• If equipment is modified --modifier becomes liable


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


Head Protection• Direct collision sports require head protection due

to impacts, forces, velocities and implements• Football Helmets

– National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (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


– 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


– Football helmets generally have air or fluid-filled pockets to absorb force

• Riddell Revolution has made revolutionary changes

– Computer designed helmet that extends further past the jaw for additional protection and stability

– The distance between the helmet and head has been increased

– Padding inflates to fit the player’s head shape– The face guard system has isolated attachment

points from the shell, reducing jarring from low-level impacts to the face guard



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



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 (CSA)



Baseball/Softball 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)


Cycling Helmets

• Designed to protect the head during one single impact

• Football, baseball and hockey helmets are more durable and can survive repeated blows

• Many states require use of cycling helmets, especially in adolescents


Lacrosse Helmets• Required for male lacrosse players; females

must wear protective eye-guard• Hard plastic with wire mess cage• Must have center bar running from top to

bottom to absorb repeated, high velocity blows

• Four point buckling system to keep helmet in place and ensure better fit


Face Protection

• Four categories– Face Guard

• Has reduced the number of facial injuries• Number of concussions has increased because

head is most often used in initial contact• There are a variety of protective options depending

on sport and position• Proper mounting of the mask must occur with no

additional attachments that would invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty

• All mountings must be flush to the helmet


• In high school hockey, face masks are required (with white plastic coating) that meet Hockey Equipment Certifications Council and American Society for Testing Materials

• Opening can not allow passage of sticks or pucks• Additional polycarbonate face shields are also available• The use of throat protectors is also mandated at some

levels

– Throat Protection• Laryngotracheal injuries, while uncommon can be fatal• Baseball catchers, lacrosse goalies and ice hockey

goalies are most at risk– Should be mandatory in these sports



– 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

• Mouth guards wear down over the course of a season

– Coaches should routinely inspect mouth guards to determine if replacement is necessary


– Ear Guards• Most sports do not use• Wrestling, water polo and boxing utilize to prevent ear

irritation and ultimate deformity of ears– Eye Protection Devices

• Highest percentage of eye injuries are sports related• Generally blunt trauma• Glasses

– May slip on sweat, become bent, fog, detract from peripheral vision or be difficult to wear with headgear

– Properly fitting glasses can provide adequate protection– Lens should be case hardened to cause crumbling and not

splintering on contact (disadvantage = increased weight)– Polycarbonate lens is virtually unbreakable– May have polarizing/tinting ability– Plastic lenses while lightweight are easy to scratch


– Contact Lenses• Become part of the eye and move with it• Corneal and sclera lenses• Peripheral vision, astigmatisms and corneal

waviness is limited• Will not fog and can be tinted• Disadvantages include cost, corneal irritation,

possibility of coming dislodged• Soft hydrophilic lenses and disposable lenses

are very popular


– Eye and Glasses Guards• 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


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



• 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



• 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

• Sports Bras– Significant effort has been made to develop

athletic support for women

– Most designed to minimize excessive vertical and horizontal movements that occur with running and jumping

– To be effective, should hold breasts to chest, preventing stretching of Cooper’s ligament


– Types available• Compressive (bind breasts to chest wall - recommended

for medium size breast)• Support (heavy duty with additional upward support for

larger breasts)• Lightweight elastic (compression and support not as

critical for smaller breasts)

• Rib Protection– Thorax protectors and rib belts– Protect against external forces– Air-inflated interconnected cylinders (jacket

design)


Hips and Buttocks

• Required in collision and high-velocity sports

• Boxing, snow skiers, equestrians, jockeys and water skiers

• Girdle and belt types


Groin and Genitalia

• Sports involving high velocity projectiles

• Require cup protection for male participants

• Stock item that fits into jockstrap or athletic supporter


Lower Extremity Protective Equipment

• Socks– Poorly fit socks can cause abnormal stress on

the foot– Should be clean, dry and w/out holes– Different types for different activities– Composition

• Cotton can be bulky• Cotton/poly blend are lighter and dry faster


• Shoe selection– Number of options for multiple activities– Guidelines for selection

• Toe Box - space for toes (1/2 to 3/4 inch of space from toes to front of shoe)

• Sole - provide shock absorption and durable– Spongy layer to absorb force– Midsole that cushions midfoot and toes– Hard rubber which contacts the ground

• Last – form on which shoe is built– May be straight, semi-curved, curved– Straight = flat arch or run on inside of foot (pronator)– Semi-curved = foot to fit normal arch– Curved = more forefoot stability, high arch

(supinator)



• Heel Counter - prevents medial and lateral roll of foot

• Shoe Uppers - top of shoe made with combination of materials, designed for appropriate ventilation, drying and support

• Arch Support - durable but soft and supportive to foot

• Price- due to impact on performance and injury prevention, may be worth the extra investment


• Shoe fitting– Measure both feet, as there will be slight

differences– Approximate conditions of use– Fit at the end of day due to gradual increase in

volume due to weight bearing– Should be snug but allow ample movement of foot

and toes– Should break at widest part, coinciding with ball of

foot– Must also consider width of shank, non-yielding

nature of sole and function of arch support


– Cleated and specialty shoes may present problems with fitting

– Playing surfaces and activities must be considered

• Heel Cups– Used for a variety of conditions including

plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis and heel bursitis

– Used to help compress fat pad, providing more cushion during weight bearing


• Foot Orthotics– Device for correcting

biomechanical problems that exist in foot that can cause injury

– Plastic, thermoplastic, rubber, sorbothane, leather support or ready-made products

– Can also be customized by physician, podiatrist, athletic trainer or physical therapist

• More expensive


• Ankle Supports– 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

• Shin and Lower Leg– Often overlooked– Commercially marketed, hard molded shin guards

are used in field hockey and soccer


Ankle Braces


Shin Guards


• Thigh and Upper Leg– Necessary in collision sports– Pads slip into ready made uniform pockets– Customized pads may need to be held in place with

tape and/or wraps– Neoprene sleeves can also be used for support of

injuries• Knee Braces

– Used prophylactically to prevent injuries to MCL– AOSSM has expressed concern about their efficacy

in reducing injuries


• Types of Braces– Rehabilitative:

• 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



Elbow, Wrist and Hand Protection

• While the elbow is less commonly injured it is susceptible to instability, contusions, and muscle strain

• A variety of products are available to protect the elbow


• Wrist, hand and finger injuries are often trivialized but can be functionally disabling

• Susceptible to fracture, dislocation, ligament sprains and muscle strains

• Gloves and splints are available for protection and immobilization


Documents

Chapter 6: Selecting and Using Protective Sports Equipment