Investigating the Potential of Jaw Protection to Reduce the Risk of Concussions in Ice Hockey : A Finite Element Study

• Main Author: Papworth, Katja Marie Berg
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: KTH, Skolan för kemi, bioteknologi och hälsa (CBH) 2021
• Subjects: Ice Hockey; Concussion; Jawguard; Finite Element; HIII; Medical Engineering; Medicinteknik
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-306378

Ice hockey is a sport with high velocities and a large number of impacts to the head. The high occurrence of concussions is being recognized, and both short and long term consequences have been found. As body checking is the main situation inducing concussions, often in the form of shoulder-to-face impacts, there is thought to be a potential to lowering the rates of concussions with equipment that covers the jaw and chin area. In this study, in-game videos from the Swedish Hockey League were analyzed regarding impact situations and impact locations. The most occurring impact situations were simulated with finite element simulation on a Hybrid-III 50th percentile head and neck model wearing a standard ice hockey helmet. Three jawguard designs were developed and tested with the model, and seven different attachments were tested on two of the designs. The results showed varying effect of the jawguard, depending on the impact situation. In impacts to the side of the chin, all three designs reduced the strains in the brain, by successfully reducing the axial rotation. In impacts to the side of the face/head and to the front of the chin, the jawguard designs produced higher strains in the brain than without any protection. The helmet in this study was attached to the head model with a chin cup, and this may have had a significant effect on the strains of the brain. Other limitations to the simulation set up indicates that the jawguards should be tested on a more realistic model to properly evaluate the jawguard.