A Functionality Investigation Comparing a Non-Commercial and Two Commercial Upper Arm Guards and their Effectiveness at Impact Force Dissipation.

Author(s)

Asa ArnoldFollow

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Engineering

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Oral Presentation Award

4th Place

Abstract

Lacrosse is a fast-paced contact sport that allows for players to strike one another with a lacrosse stick. This aspect of the game has led to many injuries, mostly muscle contusions known as bruises. Severe bruising can not only lead to medical complications but it can also negatively affect the choices of the players. The purpose of this investigation was to test materials of two commercial upper arm guards and one non commercial guard to compare and determine the most effective arm pad. The hypothesis was if the non-commercial upper arm guard was designed correctly then it would be superior at impact force dissipation over the commercial upper arm guards. In order to test the arm guards, a weight was dropped from a specific height onto the arm pads with a force plate underneath. The force plate measured the force in newtons transferred from the falling weight. The descriptive statistics showed slight favor in the cheap arm pad being the best. However, a one way ANOVA test (F(3, 120)=1.11, p=0.347) found that the results were most likely due to random probability which means the results were statistically insignificant. Even though the investigation showed no superior upper arm guard just having an arm pad in place to prevent stick induced injuries is better than nothing being there at all. Further tests in the actual design of the arm pads could prove to show a superior upper arm guard.

Location

Founders Hall 222 B

Start Date

3-30-2019 11:30 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 30th, 11:30 AM

A Functionality Investigation Comparing a Non-Commercial and Two Commercial Upper Arm Guards and their Effectiveness at Impact Force Dissipation.

Founders Hall 222 B

Lacrosse is a fast-paced contact sport that allows for players to strike one another with a lacrosse stick. This aspect of the game has led to many injuries, mostly muscle contusions known as bruises. Severe bruising can not only lead to medical complications but it can also negatively affect the choices of the players. The purpose of this investigation was to test materials of two commercial upper arm guards and one non commercial guard to compare and determine the most effective arm pad. The hypothesis was if the non-commercial upper arm guard was designed correctly then it would be superior at impact force dissipation over the commercial upper arm guards. In order to test the arm guards, a weight was dropped from a specific height onto the arm pads with a force plate underneath. The force plate measured the force in newtons transferred from the falling weight. The descriptive statistics showed slight favor in the cheap arm pad being the best. However, a one way ANOVA test (F(3, 120)=1.11, p=0.347) found that the results were most likely due to random probability which means the results were statistically insignificant. Even though the investigation showed no superior upper arm guard just having an arm pad in place to prevent stick induced injuries is better than nothing being there at all. Further tests in the actual design of the arm pads could prove to show a superior upper arm guard.