Everyone wants youth athletes to enjoy their chosen sport(s) as safely as possible, particularly for contact sports such as football. Parents, coaches, and athletic directors all want to be confident their children/players are utilizing the safest equipment possible.
Our goal at SAFR Sports is, and has been to thoroughly research our products scientifically, with the best testing technology and methods available. Our extensive on-field and laboratory testing and data collection proves SAFR Helmet Covers reduce force impact by up to 72% for concussive hits.
Measuring on-field performance
To measure force, acceleration, location of impact, and rotational impact on-field, SAFR Sports employs helmet sensors and smart mouthguards.
Force measured with specially-designed helmet sensors
SAFR Sports initially employed the use of helmet sensors – elastic fabric with pressure monitors and impact sensors (one of the first validated sensors that measured linear and rotational force). Helmet sensors provide information on acceleration, location of impact, and rotational aspect of impact. They are fitted and placed inside athlete’s helmet (different sensors for different helmet styles/brands).
A smarter mouthguard
SAFR Sports currently uses a smart mouthguard by Prevent Biometrics, which provides even more accurate data. The mouthguard’s sensors tell us the magnitude of the impact and how fast the head moved, both which can cause injury.
For both devices, when an impact is detected, the sensors send a snapshot of the data to a wireless base station. Overall results are captured over a period of time and analyzed against helmets without a SAFR Helmet Cover.
Laboratory testing
Neurocognitive testing is a way to measure brain function non-invasively. It uses computerized virtual reality tests to assess important aspects of cognition: attention, memory, language, reaction time, perception, etc.
Additionally, SAFR Sports recently partnered with EyeGuide for data collection of brain health for student-athletes at two Philadelphia area high schools.
Football players at Germantown Academy and The Haverford School participated in an eight-week test with EyeGuide’s ‘FOCUS’ screen platform capturing and analyzing ocular eye movement which can be inhibited by head impact and is directly correlated to brain health. Results clearly showed the benefits to eye muscle movement by wearing the SAFR Helmet Cover.
Impressive Results
A three-year independent study with a major Pennsylvania university scientifically confirm the impressive results of the SAFR Helmet Cover. The results have been peer reviewed and published in the Journal of Concussion.
- 72% reduction in linear “concussive” impacts*
- 47% reduction in linear “sub-concussive” impacts*
- 20% reduction in linear acceleration**
- 20% reduction in rotational acceleration**
- 53% reduction in upper neck movement**
- 47% reduction in upper neck loads**
Safer Through Science
When we adopted the slogan, “safer through science” we were making a commitment to all athletes participating in contact sports to thoroughly research and refine our products scientifically. Football can be played safer – safer through science.
If student athlete safety is a priority for you, please consider SAFR Sports for your youth athletes and for the game they play.
* 3-year independent university study
** Chesapeake Labs, May 2015, full results available
