The effect of player contact characteristics on head impact exposure in youth football games

This study investigates the differences in head impact exposure (HIE) for the striking player versus the struck player during tackling events in youth football. Head impact data was collected for six youth football games over three seasons using the Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System to measure magnitude, frequency, and location of head impacts in athletes. Preliminary results showed most impacts occurred to the front of the helmet and resulted in helmet-to-helmet contact. Additionally, players who were struck during tackling events had a higher average linear and rotational acceleration compared to the striking player. Understanding mechanisms that influence HIE during contact events in football may help inform methods to reduce HIE.