Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026
07:30
A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact
Published on: September 21, 2017
9.5K
Laboratory-Based Comparison of Ice Hockey Helmet Performance Using Sex-Representatives Headform sizes
Roxane Le Vot1, Pauline Leger1, Yvan Petit1,2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ecole de technologie supérieure, 1100 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 1K3, Canada.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
|April 18, 2026
Summary
Ice hockey helmet performance varies between male and female headforms, particularly for frontal and back impacts. This highlights the need for helmet designs that account for sex-based differences in head geometry.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Biomechanics
- Neurotrauma
Background:
- Concussions are common in ice hockey, with potential long-term neurodegenerative consequences.
- Most concussion research has focused on male athletes, creating a knowledge gap for female athletes.
- Existing ice hockey helmet certification standards are based on male morphology, questioning their efficacy for females.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of the CCM FitLite 90 ice hockey helmet using both male and female anthropomorphic headforms.
- To identify potential sex-based differences in helmet protection against head impacts.
- To assess the effectiveness of current helmet designs in mitigating concussion risks for female athletes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized male and female Hybrid III anthropomorphic headforms for helmet impact testing.
- Applied impacts to helmeted and unhelmeted headforms at front, side, and back locations across five velocities.
- Measured peak linear (PLA) and rotational (PRA) accelerations, analyzing percentage reductions using linear mixed-effects models (LMMs).
Main Results:
- Observed significant differences in PLA and PRA between male and female headforms at back and front impact locations.
- Headform size was a significant factor influencing PRA for back and frontal impacts.
- Velocity effects on accelerations were generally similar across headforms, except at specific locations.
Conclusions:
- The CCM FitLite 90 helmet demonstrated comparable PLA and PRA reduction for both headforms, with exceptions at the back and front PRA locations.
- The back impact location appears more sensitive to anthropometric variations between male and female heads, including geometry, mass distribution, and moment of inertia.
- Findings underscore the need for further research into sex-specific headform differences and their implications for ice hockey helmet design and certification.
