| - Prophylactic o Refers to prevention, preservation, or protection COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT - Old, worn-out, ill-fitting equipment should never be passed down to younger, less-experienced players ; It compounds their for injury HEAD PROTECTION Football Helmets - Football helmets must withstand repeated to blows that are of high mass and low velocity - Even high-quality helmets are of no use if not properly fitted or maintained - Fitting a football helmet o Pull down on face mask; helmet must not move o Turn helmet to position on the athlete’s head (rotate & side to side) o Push down on helmet; there must be no movement o Try to rock helmet back and forth; there must be no movement o Check for a snug jaw pad fit o Proper adjustment of the chin strap (4-way) is necessary to ensure proper helmet fit - Two finger widths (¾ inches) above eyebrows - Three finger width (1~1½ inches) from nose - Ear holes should match - NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) o Its certification means the helmet is passed standard, but may fail Ice Hockey Helmets - Ice hockey helmets must withstand the high-velocity impact of a stick or puck and the low-velocity forces from falling or hitting a sideboard - HECC (The Hocky Equipment Certification Council Inc.) o It sets standards to certify face masks that are used in ice hocky hemlets Baseball Batting Helmets FACE PROTECTION Face Guards - Since the adoption of face guards and mouth guards for use in football, mouth injuries have been reduced more than 50%, but incidence of neck injuries has increased significantly. - The space between the nose and face guard must be 1 to 1½ inch Laryngotracheal Protection Mouth Protection - A properly fitted mouth guard protects the teeth, absorbs blows to the chin, and can prevent concussion Ear Guards Eye Protection Devices Glasses - Lens center 3 mm thick, CR 39 plastic or polycarbonate Contact Lenses Eye and Glass Guards - Eye protection must be worn by all athletes who play sports that use fast-moving projectiles - The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) - It is responsible for setting the standards for eye protection for racquet sports Neck Protection TRUNK AND THORAX PROTECTION Football Shoulder Pads - Cantilevered – linebackers and linemen - Flat – quarterback and ball receiver - Fitting the football shoulder pad o The width of the shoulder is measured to determine the proper size of pad o Inside shoulder pad should cover the tip of shoulder in a direct line with the lateral aspect of the shoulder o Epaulets &cups should cover deltoid muscle & allow movements required by athlete’s specific position o Neck opening must allow to raise the arm overhead but not allow the pad to slide back and forth o If splint-clavicle shoulder pad is used, channel for the top of the shoulder must be in the proper position Breast Support - To be effective, a bra should hold the breasts tightly to the chest - Cooper's ligaments are suspensory ligaments of breast and should be supported during exercise Thorax - A flak jacket is designed to protect the thoracic area after a rib injury Hips and Buttocks Groin and Genitalia LIMB PROTECTION Footwear Socks Shoes o Shoe composition o Sole o Shoe upper o Heel counter o Toe box o Shoe fitting § A properly fitted shoe will bend where the foot bends o The specially soled shoe - Soccer-style short cleated shoes prevents knee injuries in collision-sport activity Commercial Foot Pads - Indiscriminate use of commercial foot orthotics may give the athlete a false sense of security Commercial Ankle Supports Shin and Lower Leg Thigh and Upper Leg Knee Supports and Protective Devices Knee Braces can protect the joint from collateral ligament damage but not from cartilage damage - Prophylactic knee brace o Don’t reduce the number of knee injury - Neoprene knee sleeve o Increased heat retention and increased compression of the area - A rehabilitative brace would be used postoperatively or during rehabilitation after an acute injury Hand, Wrist, and Elbow Protection CONSTRUCTION OF PROTECTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE DEVICES Custom Pad and Orthotic Materials Soft Materials Nonyielding Materials Thermomoldable plastics o Heat-forming plastics of the low-temperature variety are the most popular in athletic training o The rules and regulations of various sport activities may place limitations in use of rigid thermomoldable plastics (e.g. high school basketball – distal to elbow) Casting materials Tools Used for Customizing Adhesives Adhesive tape Heat sources Shaping tools Fastening material Customized Hard-Shell Pads Custom Foot Orthotics Semisoft orthotic device Semirigid orthotic device Rigid orthotic device Dynamic Splints OTHER CONSIDERATIONS - Cutting sleeves of football jersey may predispose athlete to should injury - Shoulder wheel is used to provide flexibility and strength - Cavit is used as a temporary filling - Kenny Howard sling is used for acute shoulder separation - Closed-cell used for fabricating protective padding, provides the greatest shock absorb |
| Protective Sports Equipment |