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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
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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
Chinstraps Influence Head Impact Severity in Laboratory Facemask Impacts
Nicholas J Cecchi1, Kyle J Casazza2, David B Camarillo2
1SoftShox, Vienna, VA, USA. nick@softshox.com.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
|June 9, 2026
Summary
The chinstrap significantly impacts American football helmet facemask severity. Thicker chin cup liners and longer bottom straps may reduce head injury risk at certain speeds.
Area of Science:
- Sports Engineering
- Biomechanics
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Facemask impacts cause significant head injuries in American football.
- Helmet design has focused on shell impacts, neglecting facemask-specific attenuation.
- Chinstrap tension and chin cup compression occur during facemask impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the influence of chinstrap design on facemask impact severity.
- To investigate the relationship between chinstrap features and head injury risk metrics.
Main Methods:
- Tested 14 chinstraps on an identical football helmet using a NOCSAE headform.
- Impacts were delivered at 3.0 and 7.4 m/s to the facemask.
- Head kinematics were measured to calculate the Head Acceleration Response Metric (HARM).
Main Results:
- Chinstrap model significantly affected HARM at both impact velocities (p < 0.0001).
- HARM varied by up to 35.4% between chinstraps.
- Thicker chin cup liners correlated with lower HARM at 3.0 m/s (R²=0.706).
Conclusions:
- Chinstrap design is a critical factor in mitigating facemask impact severity.
- Optimizing chin cup thickness and strap length may reduce injury risk.
- Further research into chinstrap systems is needed for improved helmet safety.
