A Descriptive Video Analysis of Helmet Impact Cases in North American Youth Football Players

Danielle L. Gyemi, Claudia M. Town, Yousef J. Alami, Ron Jadischke, David M. Andrews

Abstract


Background: Detailed characterization of on-field helmet impacts in football through video analysis has mostly been limited to professional games due to the availability of high quality, multi-view video (e.g., broadcast footage). Few studies have assessed youth football helmet impacts using video-based methods, often with only a single-camera view. Objective: A multi-camera approach was used in this observation-based study to describe the mechanisms and situational factors of in-game helmet impacts experienced by youth football players. Methods: A descriptive video analysis was performed in which video of three games from two old divisions (game A: 9–12 years; games B and C: 13–14 years) was reviewed and parameters related to all cases of observed helmet impact were documented. Results: Overall, 95 helmet impact cases were identified (single helmet contact: 81.1%; multiple helmet contacts: 18.9%), with 115 helmet contacts. Helmet-to-ground contacts were most common (59.1%), followed by helmet-to-helmet (24.3%) and helmet-to-body (16.5%). Helmet impact cases generally occurred during a rush play (67.4%) and were concentrated in the mid-field (81%). Helmet contact locations were predominantly distributed between the rear (upper) (28.7%) and side (upper) (27.8%) helmet regions. Tackling was the most frequent activity leading to helmet impact (41.1%). Conclusion: These findings offer detailed on-field helmet impact characteristics at the youth level that can help inform athlete safety improvement efforts.

Keywords


Youth Sports, Football, Methods, Observation

Full Text:

PDF

References


Alois, J., Bellamkonda, S., Campolettano, E. T., Gellner, R. A., Genemaras, A., Beckwith, J. G., Greenwald, R. M., Smith, E., Rowson, S., Duma, S. M., & Crisco, J. J. (2019). Do American youth football players intentionally use their heads for high-magnitude impacts? American Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(14), 3498–3504. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546519882034

Beckwith, J. G., Greenwald, R. M., & Chu, J. J. (2012). Measuring head kinematics in football: Correlation between the head impact telemetry system and hybrid III headform. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 40(1), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-011-0422-2

Campolettano, E. T., Gellner, R. A., & Rowson, S. (2017). High-magnitude head impact exposure in youth football. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 20(6), 604–612. https://doi.org/10.3171/2017.5.PEDS17185

Chrisman, S. P. D., Lowry, S., Herring, S. A., Kroshus, E., Hoopes, T. R., Higgins, S. K., & Rivara, F. P. (2019). Concussion incidence, duration, and return to school and sport in 5- to 14-year-old American football athletes. Journal of Pediatrics, 207, 176-184.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.11.003

Clark, M. D., Asken, B. M., Marshall, S. W., & Guskiewicz, K. M. (2017). Descriptive characteristics of concussions in National Football League games, 2010-2011 to 2013-2014. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(4), 929–936. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546516677793

Cobb, B. R., Urban, J. E., Davenport, E. M., Rowson, S., Duma, S. M., Maldjian, J. A., Whitlow, C. T., Powers, & Stitzel, J. D. (2013). Head impact exposure in youth football: Elementary school ages 9-12 years and the effect of practice structure. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 41(12), 2463–2473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-013-0867-6

Daniel, R. W., Rowson, S., & Duma, S. M. (2012). Head impact exposure in youth football. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 40(4), 976–981. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-012-0530-7

Daniel, R. W., Rowson, S., & Duma, S. M. (2014). Head impact exposure in youth football: Middle school ages 12-14 years. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 136(9), 3–8. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4027872

Gyemi, D. L., Andrews, D. M., & Jadischke, R. (2021). Three-dimensional video analysis of helmet-to-ground impacts in North American youth football. Journal of Biomechanics, 125, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110587

Heck, J. F., Clarke, K. S., Peterson, T. R., Torg, J. S., & Weis, M. P. (2004). National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement: Head-down contact and spearing in tackle football. Journal of Athletic Training, 39(1), 101–111.

Jadischke, R., Zendler, J., Lovis, E., Elliott, A., & Goulet, G. (2019). Development of a methodology and preliminary analysis of head impacts in American 7-v-7 non-tackle football. Proceedings of the IRCOBI Conference, Florence, Italy.

Jadischke, R., Zendler, J., Lovis, E., Elliott, A., & Goulet, G. C. (2020). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of head and body impacts in American 7v7 non-tackle football. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, 6(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000638

Kelley, M. E., Kane, J. M., Espeland, M. A., Miller, L. E., Powers, A. K., Stitzel, J. D., & Urban, J. E. (2017). Head impact exposure measured in a single youth football team during practice drills. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 20(5), 489–497. https://doi.org/10.3171/2017.5.PEDS16627

Kelley, M. E., Urban, J. E., Miller, L. E., Jones, D. A., Espeland, M. A., Davenport, E. M., Whitlow, C. T., Maldjian, J. A., & Stitzel, J. D. (2017). Head impact exposure in youth football: Comparing age-and weight-based levels of play. Journal of Neurotrauma, 34(11), 1939–1947. https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2016.4812

Kent, R., Forman, J., Bailey, A. M., Funk, J., Sherwood, C., Crandall, J., Arbogast, K. B., Myers, B. S. (2020). The biomechanics of concussive helmet-to-ground impacts in the National Football League. Journal of Biomechanics, 99, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.109551

Kontos, A. P., Elbin, R. J., Fazio-Sumrock, V. C., Burkhart, S., Swindell, H., Maroon, J., & Collins, M. W. (2013). Incidence of sports-related concussion among youth football players aged 8-12 years. Journal of Pediatrics, 163(3), 717–720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.04.011

Kuo, C., Wu, L., Loza, J., Senif, D., Anderson, S. C., & Camarillo, D. B. (2018). Comparison of video-based and sensor-based head impact exposure. PLoS One, 13(6), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199238

Le, R. K., Anderson, M. N., Johnson, R. S., Lempke, L. B., Schmidt, J. D., & Lynall, R. C. (2021). On-field characteristics and head impact magnitude in youth tackle football. Pediatric Neurology, 121, 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2021.04.005

Lessley, D. J., Kent, R. W., Cormier, J. M., Sherwood, C. P., Funk, J. R., Crandall, J. R., Myers, B. S., & Arbogast, K. B. (2020). Position-specific circumstances of concussions in the NFL: Toward the development of position-specific helmets. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 48(11), 2542–2554. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-020-02657-z

Lessley, D. J., Kent, R. W., Funk, J. R., Sherwood, C. P., Cormier, J. M., Crandall, J. R., Arbogast, K. B., & Myers, B. S. (2018). Video analysis of reported concussion events in the National Football League during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 46(14), 3502–3510. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546518804498

Munce, T. A., Dorman, J. C., Thompson, P. A., Valentine, V. D., & Bergeron, M. F. (2015). Head impact exposure and neurologic function of youth football players. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 47(8), 1567–1576. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000591

Pellman, E. I., Powell, J. W., Viano, D. C., Casson, I. R., Tucker, A. M., Feuer, H., Lovell, M., Waeckerle, J. F., & Robertson, D. W. (2004). Concussion in professional football: Epidemiological features of game injuries and review of the literature - part 3. Neurosurgery, 54(1), 81–96. https://doi.org/10.1227/01.neu.0000097267.54786.54

Pellman, E. J., Viano, D. C., Tucker, A. M., & Casson, I. R. (2003). Concussions in professional football: Location and direction of helmet impacts - part 2. Neurosurgery, 53(6), 1328–1341. https://doi.org/10.1227/01.neu.0000093499.20604.21.

Siegmund, G. P., Guskiewicz, K. M., Marshall, S. W., Marco, A. L., & Bonin, S. J. (2016). Laboratory validation of two wearable sensor systems for measuring head impact severity in football players. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 44(4), 1257–1274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1420-6

Young, T. J., Daniel, R. W., Rowson, S., & Duma, S. M. (2014). Head impact exposure in youth football: Elementary school ages 7-8 years and the effect of returning players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 24(5), 416–421. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000000055




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.10n.3p.57

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2013-2024 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.