Determining the Validity and Accuracy of Multiple Activity-Tracking Devices in Controlled and Free-Walking Conditions.

PURPOSE: Clinicians and fitness professionals are increasingly recommending the use of activity trackers. This study compares commercially available activity tracking devices for step and distance accuracy in common exercise settings. DESIGN: Cross sectional. SETTING: Rochester, Minnesota. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two men (n = 10) and women (n = 22) participated in the study. MEASURES: Researchers manually counted steps and measured distance for all trials, while participants wore 6 activity tracking devices that measured steps and distance. ANALYSIS: We computed the difference between the number of steps measured by the device and the actual number of steps recorded by the observers, as well as the distance displayed by the device and the actual distance measured. RESULTS: The analyses showed that both the device and walking trials affected the accuracy of the results (steps or distance, P < .001). Hip-based devices were more accurate and consistent for measuring step count. No significant differences were found among devices or locations for the distance measured. CONCLUSIONS: Hip-based activity tracking devices varied in accuracy but performed better than their wrist-based counterparts for step accuracy. Distance measurements for both types of devices were more consistent but lacked accuracy.

Does fair play reduce concussions? A prospective, comparative analysis of competitive youth hockey tournaments.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To determine if Boys Bantam and Peewee and Girls U14 sustain fewer concussions, head hits, 'other injuries' and penalties in hockey tournaments governed by intensified fair play (IFP) than non-intensified fair play (NIFP). METHODS: A prospective comparison of IFP, a behaviour modification programme that promotes sportsmanship, versus control (non-intensified, NIFP) effects on numbers of diagnosed concussions, head hits without diagnosed concussion (HHWDC), 'other injuries', number of penalties and fair play points (FPPs). 1514 players, ages 11-14 years, in 6 IFP (N=950) and 5 NIFP (N=564) tournaments were studied. RESULTS: Two diagnosed concussions, four HHWDC, and six 'other injuries' occurred in IFP tournaments compared to one concussion, eight HHWDC and five 'other injuries' in NIFP. There were significantly fewer HHWDC in IFP than NIFP (p=0.018). However, diagnosed concussions, 'other injuries', penalties and FPPs did not differ significantly between conditions. In IFP, a minority of teams forfeited the majority of FPPs. Most diagnosed concussions, HHWDC, and other injuries occurred to Bantam B players and usually in penalised teams that forfeited their FPPs. CONCLUSIONS: In response to significant differences in HHWDC between IFP and NIFP tournaments, the following considerations are encouraged: mandatory implementation of fair play in regular season and tournaments, empowering tournament directors to not accept heavily penalised teams, and introducing 'no body checking' in Bantam.

Ice hockey summit II: zero tolerance for head hits and fighting.

OBJECTIVE: To present currently known basic science and on-ice influences of sport related concussion (SRC) in hockey, building upon the Ice Hockey Summit I action plan (2011) to reduce SRC. METHODS: The prior summit proceedings included an action plan intended to reduce SRC. As such, the proceedings from Summit I served as a point of departure, for the science and discussion held during Summit II (Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, October, 2013). Summit II focused on Basic Science of Concussions in Ice Hockey: Taking Science Forward; (2) Acute and Chronic Concussion Care: Making a Difference; (3) Preventing Concussions via Behavior, Rules, Education and Measuring Effectiveness; (4) Updates in Equipment: their Relationship to Industry Standards and (5) Policies and Plans at State, National and Federal Levels to reduce SRC. Action strategies derived from the presentations and discussion described in these sectors were subsequently voted on for purposes of prioritization. The following proceedings include the knowledge and research shared by invited faculty, many of whom are health care providers and clinical investigators. RESULTS: The Summit II evidence based action plan emphasizes the rapidly evolving scientific content of hockey SRC. It includes the most highly prioritized strategies voted on for implementation to decrease concussion. CONCLUSIONS: The highest priority action items identified from the Summit include: 1) eliminate head hits from all levels of ice hockey, 2) change body checking policies, and 3) eliminate fighting in all amateur and professional hockey.

Ice Hockey Summit II: zero tolerance for head hits and fighting.

This study aimed to present currently known basic science and on-ice influences of sport-related concussion (SRC) in hockey, building upon the Ice Hockey Summit I action plan (2011) to reduce SRC. The prior summit proceedings included an action plan intended to reduce SRC. As such, the proceedings from Summit I served as a point of departure for the science and discussion held during Summit II (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, October 2013). Summit II focused on (1) Basic Science of Concussions in Ice Hockey: Taking Science Forward, (2) Acute and Chronic Concussion Care: Making a Difference, (3) Preventing Concussions via Behavior, Rules, Education, and Measuring Effectiveness, (4) Updates in Equipment: Their Relationship to Industry Standards, and (5) Policies and Plans at State, National, and Federal Levels To Reduce SRC. Action strategies derived from the presentations and discussion described in these sectors were voted on subsequently for purposes of prioritization. The following proceedings include the knowledge and research shared by invited faculty, many of whom are health care providers and clinical investigators. The Summit II evidence-based action plan emphasizes the rapidly evolving scientific content of hockey SRC. It includes the most highly prioritized strategies voted on for implementation to decrease concussion. The highest-priority action items identified from the Summit include the following: (1) eliminate head hits from all levels of ice hockey, (2) change body checking policies, and (3) eliminate fighting in all amateur and professional hockey.

The most cut-resistant neck guard for preventing lacerations to the neck.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of neck guard brands when contacted by a sharpened hockey skate blade. DESIGN: Analytic experimental. SETTING: Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Neck surrogate. INTERVENTIONS: Forty-six samples of 14 different types of neck guards were tested on a custom-made laceration machine using a neck surrogate. Closed-cell polyethylene foam was placed between the neck surrogate and the protective device. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effectiveness of the neck guard was evaluated by observation of the foam after the simulated slicing action of the skate blade. Two sets of tests were performed on each device sample including low and high force. For low-force tests, initial compression loads of 100, 200, and 300 N were applied between the neck surrogate for each of 2 orientations of the blade at 45 and 90 degrees. For high-force tests, representing a more severe simulation, the applied load was increased to 600 N and a blade angle fixed at 45 degrees. All tests were performed at a blade speed of 5 m/s. RESULTS: Only 1 product, the Bauer N7 Nectech, failed during the 300-N compression tests. All of the neck guards failed during 600-N test condition except for the Skate Armor device and 1 of the 3 Reebok 11K devices. CONCLUSIONS: A skate blade angle of 45 degrees increased the likelihood of a neck laceration compared with a skate blade angle of 90 degrees due to decreased contact area. Damage to the neck guard is not an indicator of the cut resistance of a neck guard. Neck protectors with Spectra fibers were the most cut resistant. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study provides data for the selection of neck guards and neck guard materials that can reduce lacerations to the neck.

Skating crossovers on a motorized flywheel: a preliminary experimental design to test effect on speed and on crossovers.

Ice hockey requires frequent skater crossovers to execute turns. Our investigation aimed to determine the effectiveness of training crossovers on a motorized, polyethylene high-resistance flywheel. We hypothesized that high school hockey players training on the flywheel would perform as well as their peers training on ice. Participants were 23 male high-school hockey players (age 15-19 years). The study used an experimental prospective design to compare players who trained for 9 sessions on the 22-foot flywheel with players who trained for 9 sessions on a similarly sized on-ice circle. Both groups were compared with control subjects who were randomly selected from the same participant pool as those training on ice. All players were tested before and after their 3-week training regimens, and control subjects were asked to not practice crossovers between testing. Group 1 trained in a hockey training facility housing the flywheel, and group 2 trained in the ice hockey arena where testing occurred. Primary outcome measures tested in both directions were: (a) speed (time in seconds) required to skate crossovers for 3 laps of a marked face-off circle, (b) cadence of skating crossovers on the similarly sized circles, and (c) a repeat interval speed test, which measures anaerobic power. No significant changes were found between groups in on-ice testing before and after training. Among the group 1 players, 7 of 8 believed they benefited from flywheel training. Group 2 players, who trained on ice, did not improve performance significantly over group 1 players. Despite the fact that no significant on-ice changes in performance were observed in objective measures, players who trained on the flywheel subjectively reported that the flywheel is an effective cost-effective alternative to training on ice. This is a relevant finding when placed in context with limited availability of on-ice training.

Psychosocial benefits and implications of exercise.

This review is based on a case report that concerns a young female athlete who experienced some of the negative aspects of exercise. Overtraining, a negative byproduct of excessive exercise, can turn the positive psychosocial and physiologic benefits of regular physical activity into an activity detrimental to one's health. With the proper psychological skills and appropriate exercise regimen, these negatives can be turned into positives. Once learned, the psychosocial benefits of exercise, as well as the positive implications, will become more prevalent, similar to the way in which proper physical training helps one become more fit over time.