SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 30 June 2014
STP155220120143

Impact Attenuation Values and Prevention of Head Injuries on Sports Fields: Do Athletes Deserve Protection the Same As or Better Than in an Automobile Crash?

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In the United States in the period from 2001 to 2005, there were more than 560 000 football- and soccer-related injuries per year among all age groups that resulted in an emergency department (ED) visit, and over 32 000 were traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) (Gilchrist, J., Thomas, K. E., Wald, M., and Langlois, J., “Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injuries from Sports and Recreation Activities—United States, 2001–2005,” MMWR Weekly, Vol. 56, No. 29, 2007, pp. 733–737). U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics for 2001 to 2009 for patients 19 years and under indicate that for football- and soccer-related injuries, annual ED visits numbered 487 000, and the number of TBIs was 35 800 (Gilchrist, J., Thomas, K. E., Xu, L., McGuire, L. C., and Coronado, V., “Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injuries Related to Sports and Recreation Activities among Persons Aged ≤19—United States, 2001-2009,” MMWR, Vol. 60, No. 39, 2011, pp. 1337–1342). It is suggested that TBI, especially in children, is underreported by as much as 10-fold. A concussion in a child or a high school or college-aged patient can have long-term debilitating effects, as such patients recover slower than adults or professional athletes, and a second concussion prior to complete recovery from the first could be life-altering. Studies suggest that the current thresholds in ASTM F1936 for sports fields should get another look from injury-prevention specialists and advocates. It is suggested that for fields being utilized for both helmeted and non-helmeted sports, the test be performed with a hemispherical headform and that both Gmax and head injury criteria be considered. The playing surface industry was still operating in the 1970s to 1980s with threshold values of Gmax not exceeding 200 g for establishing the limit for fields in use. There are injury data to support a reduction of Gmax to a maximum of 125 g, and consideration should be given to reducing it to 110 g.

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Huber, Rolf
Canadian Playground Advisory Inc., Cambridge, Ontario, CA
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Developed by Committee: F08
Pages: 1–23
DOI: 10.1520/STP155220120143
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7582-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7538-9