Citation

Villanueva NC, Chun IKH, Fujiwara AS, Leibovitch ER, Yamamoto BE, Yamamoto LG. Hawaii J. Health Soc. Welf. 2024; 83(1): 4-9.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, University Health Partners of Hawai'i)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

38223462

PMCID

PMC10782390

Abstract

American football has the highest rate of concussions in United States high school sports. Within American football, impact against the playing surface is the second-most common mechanism of injury. The objective of this study was to determine if there is a difference in impact deceleration between natural grass and synthetic turf high school football fields. A Century Body Opponent Bag (BOB) manikin was equipped with a Riddell football helmet and 3 accelerometers were placed on the forehead, apex of the head, and right ear. The manikin was dropped from a stationary position onto its front, back, and left side onto natural grass (n = 10) and synthetic turf (n = 9) outdoor football fields owned and maintained by public and private institutions on O'ahu, Hawai'i. Data was collected on 1,710 total drops. All accelerometers in forward and backward falls, and 1 accelerometer in side falls showed significantly greater impact deceleration on synthetic turf compared to the natural grass surfaces (P <.05). The results of this study provide evidence-based rationale to inform youth sports policies, particularly those aimed at injury prevention through safer playing environments and equipment.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent; Humans; Schools; United States; prevention; Sports; Deceleration; pediatrics; *Brain Concussion; *Football/injuries; biomechanics; concussions; football; high school; Poaceae