Lec.5 - Principles of protective equipment Flashcards
Why use protective equipment?
- Specialized equipment when properly used can protect a participant from accidental or routine injuries associated with sport or physical activity
- Ensure it is used properly, good condition, used as intented
Disadvantage to wearing protective equipment?
May lead players to feel too safe and become more aggressive/reckless
Focal injuries
High speed
Low mass of impact leads to forces
Diffuse injuries
Low velocity
High mass forces
Forces being absorbed over a larger area
Equipment design factors that can reduce potential injury (7)
- Increase the impact area
- Transfer or disperse the impact area to another body part
- Limit the relative motion of a body part
- Add mass to the body part to limit deformation and displacement
- Reduce friction between contacting surfaces
- Absorb energy
- Resist the absorption or bacteria, fungi and viruses
Name the 3 types of forces
Deflection
Dispersion
Absorption
Materials - Low density material
Light and comfortable, only effective at low levels of impact intensity
Example : gauze padding, foam, neoprene, felt, moleskin
Materials - High density material
Less comfortable, absorbs more energy by deformation, protect from direct flows and focal injuries
Example : plastics, orthoplast, casting material
Materials - Soft materials
Air in material
Open-cell foam
Closed-cell foam
Open-cell foam
Quickly deform under stress (like a sponge, can absorb fluids)
Closed-cell foam
Returns to original shape quickly (less cushioning at low levels of impact)
Name 4 casting materials
plaster
fiberglass
thermoplastic
3D printing
Liability and equipment standards
- Athletic staff duty to ensure proper use of protective equipment
- Duty of manufacturer to design, manufacture and package safe equipment that will not cause injury when used for intended purposes
NOCSAE
National operating committee on standards for athletic equipment
CSA
Canadian standards association
HECC
Hockey equipment certification council
Many head and facial injuries can be prevented with proper use/fitting of: (5)
Helmets Face guards Eye wear Mouth guards Throat protection
Must absorb, disperse and deflect high velocity low mass and low velocity high mass forces
Helmets
T or F: higher temperatures affect absorption abilities of helmets
TRUE
T or F: Helmets do not protect from axial loading neck injuries
TRUE
Prophylactic braces
Help to reduce severity and decrease risk of injury occurring
- usually soft material with 1 or 2 hinges on the lateral aspect of the knee
Functional braces
- Provide support to areas already injured
Functional knee brace (function)
Control for tibial movement/glide
Offloader/unloader brace
- Used for tibial plateau contusions or meniscus injuries
