Successful removal of football helmet face-mask clips after 1 season of use

Abstract

Context: Whereas many researchers have assessed the ability to remove loop straps in traditional face-mask attachment systems after at least 1 season of use, research in which the effectiveness of the Riddell Quick Release (QR) Face Guard Attachment System clip after 1 season has been assessed is limited.

Objective: To examine the success rate of removing the QR clips after 1 season of use at the Football Championship Subdivision level. We hypothesized that 1 season of use would negatively affect the removal rate of the QR clip but repeated clip-removal trials would improve the removal rate.

Design: Retrospective, quasi-experimental design.

Setting: Controlled laboratory study.

Patients or other participants: Sixty-three football helmets from a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university located in western Pennsylvania used during the 2008 season were tested.

Intervention(s): Three certified athletic trainers (2 men, 1 woman; age = 31.3 ± 3.06 years, time certified = 9.42 ± 2.65 years) attempted to remove the QR clips from each helmet with the tool provided by the manufacturer. Helmets then were reassembled to allow each athletic trainer to attempt clip removal.

Main outcome measure(s): The dependent variables were total left clips removed (TCR-L), total right clips removed (TCR-R), and total clips removed (TCR). Success rate of clip removal (SRCR) also was assessed.

Results: Percentages for TCR-L, TCR-R, and TCR were 100% (189 of 189), 96.30% (182 of 189), and 98.15% (371 of 378), respectively. A paired-samples t test revealed a difference between TCR-R and TCR-L (t(188) = 2.689, P = .008, μ(d) = 0.037, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.064, 0.010). The percentage for SRCR was 96.30% (n = 182), whereas SRCR percentages for trials 1, 2, and 3 were 95.24% (n = 60), 98.41% (n = 62), and 95.24% (n = 60), respectively, and did not represent a difference (F(2,186) = 0.588, P = .56, 95% (CI) = 0.94, 0.99).

Conclusions: Our results indicated favorable and consistent success rates for QR clip removal after 1 season of use. Whereas the QR clip is an advancement in face-mask technology, continued examination of this system is required to ensure the highest level of function, allowing for effective management of the helmeted athlete.

Figure 1

Revolution IQ (Riddell Sports, Inc, Elyria, OH) helmet retrofitted with Quick Release Face Guard Attachment System (Riddell Sports, Inc) clip.

Figure 2

A, Lateral, and B, superior views of the Quick Release Face Guard Attachment System (Riddell Sports, Inc, Elyria, OH) clip, and C, the Quick Release Combo Installation Tool (part 27515; Riddell Sports, Inc).

Figure 3

Football helmet stabilization and Quick Release Face Guard Attachment System (Riddell Sports, Inc, Elyria, OH) clip removal. Manual stabilization of the helmet was performed to mimic helmet-stabilization techniques used during an emergency situation. For clip removal, one hand was used to manipulate the tool, and the other hand provided stabilization and pulled the clip from the helmet after release of the locking-pin mechanism.