Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Shain, Kellen Saul
Author's Email Address	kshain@vt.edu
URN	etd-04262010-081912
Title	An Analysis of Catcher's Mask Performance to Attenuate Head Accelerations
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Biomedical Engineering
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Madigan, Michael L. Committee Chair Duma, Stefan M. Committee Member Goforth, Michael W. Committee Member
Keywords	catcher's mask head acceleration baseball impacts concussions
Date of Defense	2010-04-21
Availability	restricted
Abstract The goals of this study were to measure the ability of catcher’s masks to attenuate head accelerations upon impact with a baseball, and to compare these head accelerations to established injury thresholds for concussions. Testing involved using a pneumatic cannon to shoot baseballs at an instrumented (3-2-2-2 accelerometer array) Hybrid III headform (a 50th percentile male head and neck) with and without a catcher’s mask on the head. The ball speed was controlled from approximately 26.8 – 35.8 m/s (60 – 80 mph) and regulation NCAA baseballs were used. Peak linear resultant acceleration was 140 – 180 g without a mask and 16 – 30 g with a mask over the range of balls speeds investigated. Peak angular resultant acceleration was 19500 – 25700 rad/sec2 without a mask and 2250 – 3230 rad/sec2 with a mask. The Head Injury Criterion was 93 – 181 without a mask and 3 – 13 with a mask and the Severity index was 110 – 210 without a mask and 3 – 15 with a mask. Catcher’s masks reduced head acceleration metrics by approximately 85% when baseballs were impacted with just the headform. Head accelerations with a catcher’s mask were substantially lower than contemporary injury thresholds, yet evidence indicates that baseball impacts to the mask still result in concussions.
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