Lisa Schulte

Introduction  Participation in sporting events account for roughly 1.6 to 3.8 million brain injuries annually.  A concussion results from a rotational acceleration or deceleration injury to the head.

Terms  Force- (N)the action of one body on another which will cause acceleration of the 2 nd body unless acted on by an equal/ opposite action  Deformation- change in the shape of the body undergoing the force  Injury- the result of the force  Focal/ Diffuse

Factors Affecting Force Analysis  Type of Load  direct, indirect  Types of Force  Translational (linear), Rotational, Angular  Direction of Force  Magnitude of Force  Duration of Force  Shorter duration=less damage  Rate of Force  Region of the Brain

Head Impact Telemetry System HITS is a wireless monitoring system used to identify hits capable of producing an injury. Helmets equipped with HITS look and function the same as other helmets Accurately identifies the location to ±.41 cm Impacts 15 g or greater are recorded

Applying Newton’s Laws  Formula for calculating acceleration  a=(V² – Vo²)/2sg  Example:  A=( m/s)²/ (2)(0.152m)(9.8 m/s²)=4.49 g  Formula for Newton Second Law of Motion  F=mass x acceleration

Protecting the Athlete  Helmets  Pressure= Force/Area  Mouth Guards  The cushioning effects of a mouth guard increase time and distance of deceleration

Recent Developments  Return to Play  Long Term Effects of Concussions  NFL and NCAA rule changes  Concerns with Young Athletes