Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Baseball hardness as a risk factor for eye injuries.

P F Vinger1, S M Duma, J Crandall

  • 1Vision Performance and Safety Service, Tufts University School of Medicine, Medford, Mass, USA. vingven@tiac.net

Archives of Ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|March 24, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Softer baseballs reduce brain injury risk without increasing eye injury risk. Baseballs with 15-20% of major league hardness are recommended for youth baseball, with protective eyewear further minimizing eye injuries.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Traumatic brain injury in pedestrian-vehicle collisions: Convexity and suitability of some functionals used as injury metrics.

Computer methods and programs in biomedicine·2016
Same author

The One-Eyed Athlete.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2016
Same author

How I Manage Corneal Abrasions and Lacerations.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2016
Same author

Orientation of the intercostal muscle fibers in the human rib cage.

Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering·2015
Same author

Texting while driving: is speech-based text entry less risky than handheld text entry?

Accident; analysis and prevention·2014
Same author

Cognitive effects of one season of head impacts in a cohort of collegiate contact sport athletes.

Neurology·2012

Area of Science:

  • Sports medicine
  • Ophthalmology
  • Biomechanics

Background:

  • Baseball is a leading cause of eye injuries in young athletes.
  • Softer baseballs may reduce brain and cardiac injury risk.
  • Concerns exist that softer balls could increase orbital intrusion and eye injury.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess orbital intrusion and eye injury potential of varying baseball hardness.
  • To determine if players can discern differences in baseball hardness.
  • To inform recommendations for youth baseball safety.

Main Methods:

  • Measured orbital force and penetration of different hardness baseballs using an artificial orbit.
  • Assessed subjects' ability to differentiate baseball hardness based on age and experience.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Softer baseballs generated less peak orbital force and force onset rate.
  • The softest baseballs (10% MLB hardness) showed greater orbital intrusion.
  • Younger players (under 14) and adults struggled to differentiate ball hardness at certain levels.

Conclusions:

  • Soft baseballs pose a significant, but not increased, risk of eye injury compared to standard baseballs.
  • Baseballs at 15-20% MLB hardness are recommended for youth play, offering safety and feel benefits.
  • Protective eyewear meeting ASTM standards is crucial for minimizing eye injuries in youth baseball.