A Functionality Investigation Comparing a Non-Commercial and Two Commercial Upper Arm Guards and their Effectiveness at Impact Force Dissipation.
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.
Recommended Citation
Arnold, Asa, "A Functionality Investigation Comparing a Non-Commercial and Two Commercial Upper Arm Guards and their Effectiveness at Impact Force Dissipation." (2019). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 32.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2019/all/32
Location
Founders Hall 222 B
Start Date
3-30-2019 11:30 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
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.
