The science and design of head protection in sport

Hoshizaki, T. Blaine<sup>1</sup>; Brien, Susan E.<sup>1</sup>

Affiliations

¹Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

²Department of Neurosurgery, Hotel Dieu-Grace Hospital, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Abstract and keywords

We review the relationship between science, testing standards, and helmet design to provide an understanding of how helmets protect the brain. Research describing the mechanisms of injury, resulting types of brain injuries, and characteristics of helmet protection are reviewed. The article is designed to describe the state of the relationship between science and helmet performance.

Keywords: Brain injury criteria; Brain trauma; Concussion; Head protection; Helmet; Helmet standards; Sport; Standard testing

Links

DOI: 10.1227/01.NEU.0000137275.50246.0B

PubMed: 15458605

WoS: 000224309100052

History

Received: 2003-07-14

Accepted: 2004-06-01

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Cited By (29)

Year	Entry
2013	Zanetti K, Post A, Karton C, Kendall M, Hoshizaki TB, Gilchrist MD. Identifying injury characteristics for three player positions in American football using physical and finite element modeling reconstructions. In: Proceedings of the 2013 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2013; Gothenburg, Sweden.525-535.
2014	Post A, Karton C, Hoshizaki TB, Gilchrist MD. Analysis of the protective capacity of ice hockey helmets in a concussion injury reconstruction. In: Proceedings of the 2014 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 10-12, 2014; Berlin, Germany.72-80.
2014	Oeur RA, Zanetti K, Hoshizaki TB. Angular acceleration responses of American football, lacrosse and ice hockey helmets subject to low‐energy impacts. In: Proceedings of the 2014 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 10-12, 2014; Berlin, Germany.81-92.
2015	Clark JM, Post A, Hoshizaki TB, Gilchrist MD. Determining the relationship between linear and rotational acceleration and MPS for different magnitudes of classified brain injury risk in ice hockey. In: Proceedings of the 2015 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 9-11, 2015; Lyon, France.168-179.
2016	Clark JM, Post A, Hoshizaki TB, Gilchrist MD. The association among injury metrics for different events in ice hockey goaltender impacts. In: Proceedings of the 2016 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 14-16, 2016; Malaga, Spain.205-216.
2016	Oeur RA, Hoshizaki TB. The effect of impact compliance, velocity, and location in predicting brain trauma for falls in sport. In: Proceedings of the 2016 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 14-16, 2016; Malaga, Spain.228-238.
2016	Taylor K, Hoshizaki TB, Hoshizaki TB, Gilchrist MD. Dynamic head response and maximum principal tissue strain for helmeted (American football) and non‐helmeted impacts. In: Proceedings of the 2016 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 14-16, 2016; Malaga, Spain.217-227.
2017	Koncan DA, Zemek R, Gilchrist MD, Hoshizaki TB. Helmet construction influences brain strain patterns for events causing concussion in youth ice hockey. In: Proceedings of the 2017 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 13-15, 2017; Antwerp, Belgium.201-210.
2021	Karton C, Hoshizaki TB. Biomechanics of sport-related neurological injury. Clin Sports Med. January 1, 2021;40(1):19-38.
2013	Post A, Oeur A, Hoshizaki B, Gilchrist MD. Examination of the relationship between peak linear and angular accelerations to brain deformation metrics in hockey helmet impacts. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Eng. 2013;16(5):511-519.
2009	Rousseau P, Hoshizaki TB. The influence of deflection and neck compliance on the impact dynamics of a Hybrid III headform. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part P-J Sports Eng Tech. 2009;223(1):89-97.
2012	Post A, Hoshizaki TB. Mechanisms of brain impact injuries and their prediction: a review. Trauma. October 2012;14(4):327-349.
2020	Hanna B. Development of a Metamaterial for Use in American Football Head Protection [PhD thesis]. Cardiff University; September 2020.
2020	Elabd K. Biomechanical Analysis and Simulation of Backward Falls With Head Impact in Older Adults [Master's thesis]. Simon Fraser University; 2020.
2011	Coulson NR. The Influence of Impact Mass, Inbound Velocity and System Compliance on the Dynamic Response of a Hybrid III Head Form [Master's thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; 2011.
2012	Karton C. The Effect of Inbound Mass on the Dynamic Response of the Hybrid III Headform and Brain Tissue Deformation [Master's thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; November 2012.
2012	Oeur A. An Analysis of Head Impact Angle on the Dynamic Response of a Hybrid III Headform and Brain Tissue Deformation [Master's thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; December 2012.
2013	Post A. The Influence of Dynamic Response Characteristics on Traumatic Brain Injury [PhD thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; 2013.
2018	Oeur RA. The Effects of Reconstructed Head Impact Event Parameters on Risk of Sport Related Concussions [PhD thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; 2018.
2018	Taylor K. The Use of Decoupling Structures in Helmet Liners to Reduce Maximum Principal Brain Tissue Strain for Head Impacts [PhD thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2018.
2019	Karton C. Profiling Brain Trauma in Professional American-Style Football and the Implications to Developing Neurological Injury [PhD thesis]. Ottawa, ON: University of Ottawa; 2019.
2021	Champoux L. A Comparison of Three Rotational Ice Hockey Helmet Test Protocols [Master's thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2021.
2022	Larsen K. Comparison of Brain Strain Magnitudes Calculated Using Head Tracking Impact Parameters and Body Tracking Impact Parameters Obtained from 2D Video [Master's thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2022.
2022	Lowther S. Effect of Rule Changes Occurring Between 2003 and 2016 on Head Impact Frequency and Brain Strain Magnitude in North American Professional Ice Hockey [Master's thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2022.
2022	Murphy A. Comparing Equestrian Helmets With and Without Rotational Technology Using an Equestrian Concussive Specific Helmet Test Protocol [Master's thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2022.
2019	Bruneau D. Investigation of Head and Brain Response in Football Helmet Impacts Using a Finite Element Model of the Head and Neck With Active Muscle [Master's thesis]. University of Waterloo; 2019.
2019	Bian K. Predicting and Preventing Traumatic Brain Injury: A Novel Computational Approach [Master's thesis]. London, ON: Western University; August 2019.
2021	Islam SU. Significance of the Neck in Concussive Head Impacts: A Computational Approach [Master's thesis]. University of Western Ontario; 2021.
2023	Bian K. Understanding Real-World and Laboratory Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Using the Computational Model With Brain Functional Regions [PhD thesis]. University of Western Ontario; 2023.