scholarly journals Quantification of Head Acceleration Events in Rugby League: An Instrumented Mouthguard and Video Analysis Pilot Study

Sensors ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 584
Author(s):  
James Tooby ◽  
Dan Weaving ◽  
Marwan Al-Dawoud ◽  
Gregory Tierney

Instrumented mouthguards (iMG) were used to collect head acceleration events (HAE) in men’s professional rugby league matches. Peak linear acceleration (PLA), peak angular acceleration (PAA) and peak change in angular velocity (ΔPAV) were collected using custom-fit iMG set with a 5 g single iMG-axis recording threshold. iMG were fitted to ten male Super League players for thirty-one player matches. Video analysis was conducted on HAE to identify the contact event; impacted player; tackle stage and head loading type. A total of 1622 video-verified HAE were recorded. Approximately three-quarters of HAE (75.7%) occurred below 10 g. Most (98.2%) HAE occurred during tackles (59.3% to tackler; 40.7% to ball carrier) and the initial collision stage of the tackle (43.9%). The initial collision stage resulted in significantly greater PAA and ΔPAV than secondary contact and play the ball tackle stages (p < 0.001). Indirect HAE accounted for 29.8% of HAE and resulted in significantly greater ΔPAV (p < 0.001) than direct HAE, but significantly lower PLA (p < 0.001). Almost all HAE were sustained in the tackle, with the majority occurring during the initial collision stage, making it an area of focus for the development of player protection strategies for both ball carriers and tacklers. League-wide and community-level implementation of iMG could enable a greater understanding of head acceleration exposure between playing positions, cohorts, and levels of play.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. e001125
Author(s):  
Gregory Tierney ◽  
Daniel Weaving ◽  
James Tooby ◽  
Marwan Al-Dawoud ◽  
Sharief Hendricks ◽  
...  

Instrumented mouthguards (iMGs) have the potential to quantify head acceleration exposures in sport. The Rugby Football League is looking to deploy iMGs to quantify head acceleration exposures as part of the Tackle and Contact Kinematics, Loads and Exposure (TaCKLE) project. iMGs and associated software platforms are novel, thus limited validation studies exist. The aim of this paper is to describe the methods that will determine the validity (ie, laboratory validation of kinematic measures and on-field validity) and feasibility (ie, player comfort and wearability and practitioner considerations) of available iMGs for quantifying head acceleration events in rugby league. Phase 1 will determine the reliability and validity of iMG kinematic measures (peak linear acceleration, peak rotational velocity, peak rotational acceleration), based on laboratory criterion standards. Players will have three-dimensional dental scans and be provided with available iMGs for phase 2 and phase 3. Phase 2 will determine the on-field validity of iMGs (ie, identifying true positive head acceleration events during a match). Phase 3 will evaluate player perceptions of fit (too loose, too tight, bulky, small/thin, held mouth open, held teeth apart, pain in jaw muscles, uneven bite), comfort (on lips, gum, tongue, teeth) and function (speech, swallowing, dry mouth). Phase 4 will evaluate the practical feasibility of iMGs, as determined by practitioners using the system usability scale (preparing iMG system and managing iMG data). The outcome will provide a systematic and robust assessment of a range of iMGs, which will help inform the suitability of each iMG system for the TaCKLE project.


Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (23 Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S2.2-S2
Author(s):  
Mirellie Kelley ◽  
Jillian Urban ◽  
Derek Jones ◽  
Alexander Powers ◽  
Christopher T. Whitlow ◽  
...  

Approximately 1.1–1.9 million sport-related concussions among athletes ≤18 years of age occur annually in the United States, but there is limited understanding of the biomechanics and injury mechanisms associated with concussions among lower level football athletes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to combine biomechanical head impact data with video analysis to characterize youth and HS football concussion injury mechanisms. Head impact data were collected from athletes participating on 22 youth and 6 HS football teams between 2012 and 2017. Video was recorded, and head impact data were collected during all practices and games by instrumenting players with the Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System. For each clinically diagnosed concussion, a video abstraction form was completed, which included questions concerning the context in which the injury occurred. Linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, and impact location were used to characterize the concussive event and each injured athlete's head impact exposure on the day of the concussion. A total of 9 (5 HS and 4 youth) concussions with biomechanics and video of the event were included in this study. The mean [range] linear and rotational acceleration of the concussive impacts were 62.9 [29.3–118.4] g and 3,056.7 [1,046.8–6,954.6] rad/s2, respectively. Concussive impacts were the highest magnitude impacts for 6 players and in the top quartile of impacts for 3 players on the day of injury. Concussions occurred in both practices (N = 4) and games (N = 5). The most common injury contact surface was helmet-to-helmet (N = 5), followed by helmet-to-ground (N = 3) and helmet-to-body (N = 1). All injuries occurred during player-to-player contact scenarios, including tackling (N = 4), blocking (N = 4), and collision with other players (N = 1). The biomechanics and injury mechanisms of concussions varied among athletes in our study; however, concussive impacts were among the highest severity for each player and all concussions occurred as a result of player-to-player contact.


Author(s):  
Bryan R Cobb ◽  
Abigail M Tyson ◽  
Steven Rowson

This study sought to evaluate the suitability of angular rate sensors for quantifying angular acceleration in helmeted headform impacts. A helmeted Hybrid III headform, instrumented with a 3-2-2-2 nine accelerometer array and angular rate sensors, was impacted (n = 90) at six locations and three velocities (3.1, 4.9, and 6.4 m/s). Data were low-pass filtered using Butterworth four-pole phaseless digital filters which conform to the specifications described in the Society of Automotive Engineers J211 standard on instrumentation for impact tests. Nine accelerometer array data were filtered using channel frequency class 180, which corresponds to a −3 db cutoff frequency of 300 Hz. Angular rate sensor data were filtered using channel frequency class values ranging from 5 to 1000 Hz in increments of 5 Hz, which correspond to −3 db cutoff frequencies of 8 to 1650 Hz. Root-mean-square differences in peak angular acceleration between the two instrumentation schemes were assessed for each channel frequency class value. Filtering angular rate sensor data with channel frequency class values between 120 and 205 all produced mean differences within ±5%. The minimum root-mean-square difference of 297 rad/s2 was found when the angular rate sensor data were filtered using channel frequency class 175. This filter specification resulted in a mean difference of 28 ± 297 rad/s2 (1.8% ± 8.6%). Condition-specific differences (α=0.05) were observed for 11 of 18 test conditions. A total of 4 of those 11 conditions were within ±5%, and 10 were within ±10%. Furthermore, the nine accelerometer array and angular rate sensor methods demonstrated similar levels of repeatability. These data suggest that angular rate sensor may be an appropriate alternative to the nine accelerometer array for measuring angular head acceleration in helmeted head impact tests with impactor velocities of 3.1–6.4 m/s and impact durations of approximately 10 ms.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S287) ◽  
pp. 98-102
Author(s):  
Kazuhito Motogi ◽  
Kazuo Sorai ◽  
Kenta Fujisawa ◽  
Koichiro Sugiyama ◽  
Mareki Honma

AbstractThe water maser site associated with G353.273+0.641 is classified as a dominant blueshifted H2O maser, which shows an extremely wide velocity range (± 100 km s−1) with almost all flux concentrated in the highly blueshifted emission. The previous study has proposed that this peculiar H2O maser site is excited by a pole-on jet from high mass protostellar object. We report on the monitoring of 22-GHz H2O maser emission from G353.273+0.641 with the VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA) and the Tomakamai 11-m radio telescope. Our VLBI imaging has shown that all maser features are distributed within a very small area of 200 × 200 au2, in spite of the wide velocity range (> 100 km s−1). The light curve obtained by weekly single-dish monitoring shows notably intermittent variation. We have detected three maser flares during three years. Frequent VLBI monitoring has revealed that these flare activities have been accompanied by a significant change of the maser alignments. We have also detected synchronized linear acceleration (−5 km s−1yr−1) of two isolated velocity components, suggesting a lower-limit momentum rate of 10−3 M⊙ km s−1yr−1 for the maser acceleration. All our results support the previously proposed pole-on jet scenario, and finally, a radio jet itself has been detected in our follow-up ATCA observation. If highly intermittent maser flares directly reflect episodic jet-launchings, G353.273+0.641 and similar dominant blueshifted water maser sources can be suitable targets for a time-resolved study of high mass protostellar jet.


Author(s):  
Derek Nevins ◽  
Kasee Hildenbrand ◽  
Jeff Kensrud ◽  
Anita Vasavada ◽  
Lloyd Smith

Head impact sensors are increasingly used to quantify the frequency and magnitude of head impacts in sports. A dearth of information exists regarding head impact in un-helmeted sport, despite the substantial number of concussions experienced in these sports. This study evaluated the performance of one small form factor head impact sensor in both laboratory and field environments. In laboratory tests, sensor performance was assessed using a Hybrid III headform and neck. The headform assembly was mounted on a low-friction sled and impacted with three sports balls over a range of velocities (10–31 m/s) at two locations and from three directions. Measures of linear and angular acceleration obtained from the small form factor wireless sensor were compared to measures of linear and angular acceleration obtained by wired sensors mounted at the headform center of mass. Accuracy of the sensor varied inversely with impact magnitude, with relative differences across test conditions ranging from 0.1% to 266.0% for peak linear acceleration and 4.7% to 94.6% for peak angular acceleration when compared to a wired reference system. In the field evaluation, eight male high school soccer players were instrumented with the head impact sensor in seven games. Video of the games was synchronized with sensor data and reviewed to determine the number of false positive and false negative head acceleration event classifications. Of the 98 events classified as valid by the sensor, 20.5% (20 impacts) did not result from contact with the ball, another player, the ground or player motion and were therefore considered false positives. Video review of events classified as invalid or spurious by the sensor found 77.8% (14 of 18 impacts) to be due to contact with the ball, another player or player motion and were considered false negatives.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauchlan John Carey ◽  
Douglas P Terry ◽  
Andrew McIntosh ◽  
Peter Stanwell ◽  
Grant L Iverson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Rugby League is a high-intensity collision sport that carries a risk of concussion. Youth athletes are considered to be more vulnerable and take longer to recover from concussion than adult athletes. Purpose: To review head impact events in elite level junior representative rugby league and to verify and analyze x-patchTM recorded impacts via video analysis.Study Design: Observational case series.Methods: The x-patchTM was used on twenty-one adolescent players (thirteen forwards and eight backs) during a 2017 junior representative rugby league competition. Game day footage, recorded by a trained videographer from a single camera, was synchronized with accelerometer timestamps. Impacts were double verified by video review. Impact rates, playing characteristics, and game play situations were described.Results: The x-patchTM recorded 624 impacts 20g between game start and finish, of which 564 (90.4%) were verified on video. Upon video review, 413 (73.2%) of all verified impacts 20g where determined to be direct head impacts. Direct head impacts 20g occurred at a rate of 5.2 impacts per game hour; 7.6 for forwards and 3.0 for backs (range=0-18.2). A defender’s arm directly impacting the head of the ball carrier was the most common event, accounting for 21.3% (n=120) of all impacts, and 46.7% of all “hit-up” impacts. There were no medically diagnosed concussions during the competition.Conclusion: The majority (90.4%) of impacts 20g recorded by the x-patchTM sensor were verified by video. Double verification of direct head impacts in addition to cross-verification of sensor recorded impacts using a secondary source such as synchronized video review can be used to ensure accuracy and validation of data.


1962 ◽  
Vol 202 (6) ◽  
pp. 1211-1220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth E. Money ◽  
John W. Scott

A technique for plugging individual semicircular canals of cats was developed, and it was established that the plugging of a semicircular canal completely blocked its receptivity without influencing the functions of the other vestibular receptors. It was found that cats with all six semicircular canals plugged were lacking all sensitivity to angular acceleration, but they retained normal responses to linear acceleration. Results of several vestibular tests led to the conclusion that the vertical semicircular canals initiate corrections for fast angular displacements from the normal orientation when the displacements are about horizontal axes and that the otoliths initiate corrections for slow angular displacements about horizontal axes. In tests of single horizontal canals, the durations of postrotatory nystagmus were the same after rotations in opposite directions. It was concluded that in the intact animal both horizontal semicircular canals contribute equally to reception of angular acceleration in both directions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Manon Limousis-Gayda ◽  
Rami Hashish

Concussions represent an increasing economic burden to society. Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are of the leading causes for sustaining a concussion, potentially due to high head accelerations. The change in velocity (i.e., delta-V) of a vehicle in a MVC is an established metric for impact severity. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to analyze findings from previous research to determine the relation between delta-V and linear head acceleration, including occupant parameters. Data was collected from previous research papers comprising both linear head acceleration and delta-V at the time of incident, head position of the occupant, awareness of the occupant prior to impact, as well as gender, age, height, and weight. Statistical analysis revealed the following significant power relation between delta-V and head acceleration: head acceleration=0.465delta‐V1.3231 (R2=0.5913, p<0.001). Further analysis revealed that alongside delta-V, the occupant’s gender and head position prior to impact were significant predictors of head acceleration (p=0.022 and p=0.001, respectively). The strongest model developed in this paper is considered physiologically implausible as the delta-V corresponding to a theoretical concussion threshold of 80 g exceeds the delta-V associated with probability of fatality. Future research should be aimed at providing a more thorough data set of the occupant head kinematics in MVCs to help develop a stronger predictive model for the relation between delta-V and head linear and angular acceleration.


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