Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of protective football headgear on peripheral vision reaction time and visual target detection. Twenty-five Division I NCAA football players (age = 20.5 yrs ± 0.9, height = 185.9 cm ± 6.8, body mass = 99.2 kg ± 19.2, BMI...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Sports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/7/9/213 |
| _version_ | 1797999581562142720 |
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| author | Rachel A. Miller Rebecca R. Rogers Tyler D. Williams Mallory R. Marshall Justin R. Moody Robert W. Hensarling Christopher G. Ballmann |
| author_facet | Rachel A. Miller Rebecca R. Rogers Tyler D. Williams Mallory R. Marshall Justin R. Moody Robert W. Hensarling Christopher G. Ballmann |
| author_sort | Rachel A. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of protective football headgear on peripheral vision reaction time and visual target detection. Twenty-five Division I NCAA football players (age = 20.5 yrs ± 0.9, height = 185.9 cm ± 6.8, body mass = 99.2 kg ± 19.2, BMI = 29.6 ± 4.5) participated. In a crossover counterbalanced study design, subjects participated in one visit with three conditions: Baseline (BL) without headgear, helmet only (HO), helmet with an eye shield (HE). Subjects completed a 1-min peripheral vision reaction time test for each condition separated by 3-min recovery periods. Tests were administered using a 64 light Dynavision D2 Visuomotor board. Target detection (total hit score) was higher during BL than HO (p < 0.001) and HE (p < 0.001). Average (p < 0.001), peak (p < 0.001), minimum (p < 0.001), and median (p < 0.001) peripheral reaction times were faster during BL than HO and HE. No significant differences were observed for any measures between HO and HE conditions (p > 0.05). Findings indicate that protective football headgear impaired reaction time to peripheral visual stimuli. The addition of an eye shield to the helmet had a small non-significant effect on reaction time and target detection. These results may hold important implications in helmet design and player safety. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:06:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f3e86b3ceda04fc29ebe7eed9f05657c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4663 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:06:55Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sports |
| spelling | doaj.art-f3e86b3ceda04fc29ebe7eed9f05657c2022-12-22T04:28:17ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632019-09-017921310.3390/sports7090213sports7090213Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football PlayersRachel A. Miller0Rebecca R. Rogers1Tyler D. Williams2Mallory R. Marshall3Justin R. Moody4Robert W. Hensarling5Christopher G. Ballmann6Department of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USADepartment of Kinesiology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USAThe purpose of this study was to examine the effects of protective football headgear on peripheral vision reaction time and visual target detection. Twenty-five Division I NCAA football players (age = 20.5 yrs ± 0.9, height = 185.9 cm ± 6.8, body mass = 99.2 kg ± 19.2, BMI = 29.6 ± 4.5) participated. In a crossover counterbalanced study design, subjects participated in one visit with three conditions: Baseline (BL) without headgear, helmet only (HO), helmet with an eye shield (HE). Subjects completed a 1-min peripheral vision reaction time test for each condition separated by 3-min recovery periods. Tests were administered using a 64 light Dynavision D2 Visuomotor board. Target detection (total hit score) was higher during BL than HO (p < 0.001) and HE (p < 0.001). Average (p < 0.001), peak (p < 0.001), minimum (p < 0.001), and median (p < 0.001) peripheral reaction times were faster during BL than HO and HE. No significant differences were observed for any measures between HO and HE conditions (p > 0.05). Findings indicate that protective football headgear impaired reaction time to peripheral visual stimuli. The addition of an eye shield to the helmet had a small non-significant effect on reaction time and target detection. These results may hold important implications in helmet design and player safety.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/7/9/213college footballdynavisionfootball helmeteye shieldvisorfacemask |
| spellingShingle | Rachel A. Miller Rebecca R. Rogers Tyler D. Williams Mallory R. Marshall Justin R. Moody Robert W. Hensarling Christopher G. Ballmann Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players Sports college football dynavision football helmet eye shield visor facemask |
| title | Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players |
| title_full | Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players |
| title_short | Effects of Protective American Football Headgear on Peripheral Vision Reaction Time and Visual Target Detection in Division I NCAA Football Players |
| title_sort | effects of protective american football headgear on peripheral vision reaction time and visual target detection in division i ncaa football players |
| topic | college football dynavision football helmet eye shield visor facemask |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/7/9/213 |
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