The application of brain tissue deformation values in assessing the safety performance of ice hockey helmets

Abstract

Dynamic impact responses and brain tissue deformations from helmeted centric and non-centric headform impacts were assessed with respect to suggested concussive injury thresholds from the literature. Results from six commercially available ice hockey helmets were compared statistically. It is proposed that the current centric impact standards for ice hockey helmets measuring linear acceleration have effectively eliminated traumatic head injuries in the sport, but that angular acceleration and brain tissue deformation metrics are more sensitive to the conditions associated with concussive injuries which continue to be a major injury in the sport.

Comparison of Ice Hockey Goaltender Helmets for Concussion Type Impacts

“…Research in ice hockey helmets has shown that design characteristics such as external shell geometry, shell and liner material, and liner thickness can influence kinematic and brain tissue response. 19,38,47,56,59 Similar research for goaltender helmets is lacking, and if performed would provide useful information for future design considerations to improve protection. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine how liner thickness and shell material of ice hockey goaltender helmets would affect the head kinematics and brain strain for the three most common impact events associated with concussion in ice hockey.…”

Protective capacity of an ice hockey goaltender helmet for three events associated with concussion

“…As a result of this environment, ice hockey goaltenders have suffered concussions from collisions with players, falls to the ice and puck impacts in which player-to-player collisions are the most common cause of concussion (LaPrade et al 2009). Research has shown shoulder collisions, falls and puck impacts to the head in ice hockey create unique impact conditions that influence the direction and magnitude of the head kinematic response and subsequent brain tissue stresses and strains (Kendall et al 2012(Kendall et al , 2014Clark 2015;Ouckama and Pearsall 2014;Rousseau 2014;Rousseau et al 2014;Nur et al 2015;Post et al 2012;Rousseau and Hoshizaki 2015;Smith et al 2015). Unique impact parameters such as impact site, mass, velocity, angle of impact, and compliance of impactor create different impact loading conditions for shoulder collisions, falls, and puck impacts (Hoshizaki et al 2014).…”

“…Considerable research has been conducted in an effort to decrease the incidence of concussion; however, this research has focused on skaters (Hoshizaki et al 2012;Walsh et al 2012;Post et al 2013Post et al , 2014Ouckama and Pearsall 2014), with little research focusing on goaltenders (Nur et al 2015). Presumably, research has focused on ice hockey skaters as annual concussion rates for ice hockey forwards and defensemen have between reported between 4 and 73 concussions per year (Mölsä et al 1997;Benson et al 2011;Hutchison et al 2015a).…”

Role of Helmet Fit on Angular and Linear Accelerations of Head in Ice Hockey

“…The high incidence rate and life-threatening consequences of head injuries have led to the development of strict safety standards and mandated use of helmets. Underlying injury mechanisms as well as the safety metrics associated with the helmet design are the two major factors that can determine the extent to which helmets protect the head against impacts [17][18][19]. Head kinematics in terms of linear and angular accelerations is responsible for different injury mechanisms and hence many thresholds have been developed based on these parameters [9,[20][21][22][23].…”