Assessment of Marchese Helmet for Developmental Skaters

December 5 2015

Abstract: In September 2015 Marchese sports in the United States introduced a new short track speed skating helmet for purchase in Canada. When the new helmet was advertised several referees from both western and eastern Canada expressed concern over the introduction with no news from Speed Skate Canada. In late September 2015 the wording “or a complete visor” was added to the SSC Red Book, D3-100 Equipment, under acceptable eye protection without any indication of certification. As a result a study was undertaken in western Canada to address the concerns brought up by the referees in order to determine if the Marchese helmet, would meet SSC's higher standards for protection of its development skaters. The one size fits all approach used for the Marchese Helmet results in inadequate fit for younger skaters and skaters with smaller heads. The visor results in distorted view for skaters with prescription glasses and contact lenses. The visor position results in large gaps between the visor and face where skate blades could protrude.

T.L. Hillis Level 3 Referee, Member Speed Skating Canada’s Sport Injury and Medical Emergency Committee Speed Skate Canada

Introduction

Studies conducted on sports injuries have suggested a link between injury risk is less with the use of protective equipment, but it

is possible that children’s high exposure to the sport and also inexperience may play a role as well (Sherker & Cassell 2002). As

skaters mature more injuries may be related to over/incorrect training regimes, inappropriate preparation prior to high intensity

performance, taking greater risks during high intensity performance, accidents while skating, and stress on injuries not given

appropriate time to heal. Other studies indicate that an improper environment or poorly fitted, improper equipment can lead to

higher potential risk of injury (Quinn 2009). Speed Skating Canada’s Sport Injury and Medical Emergency Committee (SIMEC)'s

Protective Equipment Task Group was created to address safety concerns with speed skating and has been tasked with

monitoring proper use of equipment in developing skaters.

In September 2015 Marchese Sports in the United States introduced a new short track speed skating helmet for purchase in

Canada. When the new helmet was advertised several referees from both western and eastern Canada expressed concern over

the introduction with no news from Speed Skate Canada. In late September 2015 the wording “or a complete visor” was added

to the SSC Red Book, D3-100 Equipment, under acceptable eye protection without any indication of certification. As a result a

study was undertaken in western Canada to address the concerns brought up by the referees in order to determine if the

Marchese helmet, would meet SSC's higher standards for protection of its development skaters.

As a result a study was undertaken in western Canada to address the concerns brought up by the referees in order to determine

if the Machese helmet, would meet SSC's higher standards for protection of its development skaters.

Methods

Twelve development skaters from the T1 group of the Calgary Speed Skating Association (Calgary Alberta) were allowed to try

the Marchese helmet both in a general fit session and during an on ice session. Skaters in the T1 group are made up of skaters

with previous ( 1 to 2 years )speed skating and some dryland experience. This group is for young skaters (ages 11 – late

development age 14) that wish to work on their speed skating skills as they transition from 3 days a week of training to 4-5 days

per week.

Skaters chosen to wear the helmet included; males and females; individuals who were in their growth spurt, or who were not yet

in their growth spurt (as determined by height/proportion measurements recommended by Balyi and Way (2010). Skaters were

also selected who either wore prescription or non-prescription glasses.

Skaters were photographed with permission from their parents with the helmet fitted properly to their heads (tightened using the

ratchet mechanism at the rear of the helmet as much as it would go and straps adjusted to accommodate fit over the ear and

securely under the chin). Skaters were then asked to put their heads in several positions and photographed from the side, front,

head tilted forward and head tilted back. Skaters were also photographed after skating to determine if the position of the helmet

changed and during a falling drill into the mats. Measurements were taken using Mastercraft Digital Calipers (Inside/outside

measuring capability) to determine if gaps existed between the face and the visor and the fitting of the helmet.

All photos were edited in Kinovea 8.15 (Kinovea.org 2013), Kinovea is a software video analysis program specialising in the

sports movement and placed in Microsoft Powerpoint (Microsoft 2010) for placement in the document.

Skaters were then interviewed with a series of questions related to fit, movement of the helmet during skating and during falls

and asked to comment on their overall feelings about wearing the helmet and it’s feeling of safety. Survey questions can be

found in Appendix 1

Results

The Marchese Helmet has similar head protection features compared to other helmets currently being worn by young skaters

(Figure A1). The Marchese Helmet has a lower profile which covers the temple a little better than most; however it is longer at

the back of the head, extending out more from the head than other helmets. This could create an issue when skaters fall into the

mats in the proper position (skaters are trained to try to enter mats back first, arms spread to absorb force).

The Marchese helmet also has a removable cover to provide changes in colour options. When removed this piece revels that it

covers venting and air flow through the helmet. Senior skate technicians were asked to comment on this piece and could not

understand the functionality of covering the vents, other than for a colour option and short track technicians commented that by

screwing the piece in may compromise the integrity of the helmet (reduction in helmet strength). The short track technicians also

commented that this piece could potentially break off if hit hard enough (hard enough impact with the ice) Figure A2 in Appendix.

Skate technicians working in the Calgary Oval Skate Shop were asked to model the helmet to determine a baseline for younger

skaters. Figure A3 in Appendix shows the fit on a member of the Oval 1 short track program. Although the helmet showed a

higher profile on the face of the mature skaters, the visor still created gaps.

The Marchese helmet was designed to have a one size fits all, however this was not the case with development skaters. Most

development skaters (n = 10) found that the helmet even when “fit properly” (ratchet tightened, straps adjusted) they were able to

slide their thumbs into the helmet at the temple. This is an approximate 1.5 cm (range 1 -2 cm) gap in the helmet (Figure 1).

The other key selling feature that was tested was the visor. When placed on development skaters the visor ranges from 3 – 5

cm away from the face depending upon whether the skater was junior or below. For T2T skaters the visor averaged 4 cm away

from the face and 5 cm away from the edges of the visor. This was creating an approximate 4 – 5 cm gap between the visor and

the cheek and below the eyes. The results of the stationary test are reflected in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1: Example of Side Gap in Fit of helmet on T1 Skater (male aged 12).

Figure 2: Stationary fit of helmet on young male, age 12. A = side view, B = front view, C upward head back, D, head

forward

Views from A indicate that although the helmet does extend down over the temple, the visor extends over 6 cm out from the face

with a 1.23 X 2 cm gap in width at the temple. With the visor there is a 5.72 X 3 cm gap at the cheek. When looking from the

front and below the visor extends down to mid cheek, higher over the nose creating a gap between 5 – 4 cm (Figure 2 A,B,C).

When the head is tilted forward there is a 3.5 to 5 cm gap at the temple and cheek respectively (Figure 2, D). Similar values are

seen on a young female pre-growth spurt (Figure 3 A, B, C), although values are higher. Of importance is the movement of the

helmet shown in Figure 3 D, and E.

Figure 3: Stationary fit of helmet on young female, age 12. A = side view, B = front view, C upward head back, D, head

forward, E movement forward of helmet in “proper fit”

Skaters were then asked to wear the helmet on ice and perform a series of long slow laps (10 laps slow speed) and short sprints

(400m) that would simulate race distances. Skaters were also asked to perform controlled falls into the mats (part of their regular

training) simulating potential crash situations.

Figure 4 shows a representation of the position of the helmet after skating and a fall. The helmet was fitted properly yet had

shifted from its original position to create a 2.2 X 2 cm gap at the temples and a 4.27 X 4 cm gap at the cheek. The visor had

also moved from cheek level to the chin, the helmet proper hitting the top of the glasses. All skaters regardless of developmental

stage showed changes in the position of the helmet during skating and falls.

Figure 4: Demonstration of the position of helmet after skating and a fall on 11 year old skater.

After wearing the helmet both stationary and on ice skaters were given a series of questions relating to the overall fit, style, and

experiences with the visor. The questionnaire can be found in APPENDIX 2. Results can be found in Table 1. Overall skaters

were split in their decisions on the overall fit of the helmet and could not determine a difference between wearing their current

helmet and the Marchese Helmet. However in questions relating to the visor, all skaters regardless of developmental stage and

whether they wore glasses or not did not like the addition of the visor. Of importance are questions relating to skaters who

require prescription glasses; “would rather wear glasses, dizzy with the visor, things kept appearing closer than they were, vision

was more rounded, couldn’t see peripherally because kept seeing the edge of the visor” (Table 1).

All skaters indicated that during movement whether falling or skating the helmet moved a lot, shifted with their strides and that

when they fell into the mats the comments consisted strongly of “the helmet moved and I couldn’t see; It moved when I hit the

mats, I was scared with the visor on (Table 1). Overall when asked if they felt safe wearing the visor all skaters replied that they

did not feel safe wearing the visor (Table 1).

Table 1: Responses to questionnaire

Discussion

Like many sports involving high speeds and body contact, head injuries are a concern for short track speed skating athletes and

coaches. While the mandatory use of helmets has managed to nearly eliminate catastrophic head injuries such as skull fractures

and cerebral haemorrhages, they may not be as effective at reducing the risk of a concussion (Vassilyadi et al 2012; Karton et al

2014). The results of this testing indicated overall that the skaters did not feel safe while wearing the Marchese helmet mainly as

a result of the poor fit in smaller individuals and the presence of the visor. The helmet, although providing better coverage along

the temple, was higher at the back of the head than other brands currently available. Because of their smaller heads, addition of

the visor for young skaters created gaps that could potentially cause injury during falls especially if falls occur with multiple

skaters.

Fit:

Children need to be taught to wear proper protective equipment while doing these activities, especially helmets. Many children

indicated that they understood the importance of wearing a speed skating helmet. When asked what would happen if they had a

crash a comment that typified many was: "You could get a concussion, you could suffer brain damage." This is the first study to

examine the issue of helmet condition and fit in detail. In this study in a controlled setting, skaters who had not yet begun their

growth spurt or skaters who were smaller as a result of slower development could not fit the helmet properly

By measuring the different components of condition and fit, it was possible to specifically identify the problem areas. There were

3 particular problems: 1) gap in resting position, specifically temple 2) improper strap position and, as a result, 3) excessive

helmet movement from front to back off the forehead and side to side when skating.

All of these factors have the potential to expose all areas of the skull, to head injuries. In a properly fitting helmet, there should be

no gaps between your temples and the brow pads. In skaters who were in their growth spurt, this was not an issue however in

skaters at an earlier developmental stage this is a concern. Gaps of up to 4cm could be seen with skaters with smaller heads,

with the straps fitted as tightly as they could as well as the racket done up securely. Part of the issue could be related to strap

and ratchet placement. Both of the fasteners are lower on the back of the head and more posterior on skaters earlier in

development than on a larger head. Because these are not in the correct position for a skater with a smaller head they will not

secure the helmet correctly. However this also poses a concern for skaters with glasses as a senior skater who wears glasses

tried the helmet on could still place their thumb under the helmet at the temple with it secured to his head.

As a result for skaters who have smaller heads the helmet moved extensively during wearing on the ice as well as completely

changing position during a fall (Figure 4).

Skaters with Glasses

Individuals wearing glasses face particular challenges with peripheral vision, which works to integrate visual information with

vestibular functions and is vital for maintaining a sense of balance and orientation (Cronin and Mandic 2016). Any intrusion on

the wearing of glasses that alters their vision such as peripheral visual flickers that may be mistakenly perceived as movement,

have the potential to cause major safety issues. Skaters in the test who wore glasses did experience very distinct changes in

their vision while wearing the Marchese helmet. Distortion of vision maybe related to too much curvature in the visor. When it

comes to optics, curve = distortion. This is why many prescription-wearers have a tough time getting prescription sunglasses with

a lot of “wrap” or curve. The distortion created by the curve is oftentimes referred to as “the fish bowl effect.” Compared to the

curve of a sunglass/or eyeglass lens, the curve of the visor is even more extreme. Another issue is possible related to the

“vertex distance.” This is the distance between the eyes and the corrective lens, which in this case, visor. The visor sits farther

away from the eyes than would a pair of glasses. This increased vertex distance makes a corrective prescription in a visor

ineffective.

Potential for Injury with Gaps

A typical fall in skaters of these developmental stages is often due to a spontaneous loss of balance. Skaters in developmental

stages that are during growth will often underestimate the attainable velocity and generally have trouble controlling that speed

during a race. Falling in advanced skaters has been associated with travelling at high speed, performing specific manoeuvres in

the curves or interaction with other skaters (Hillis 2013). As developmental skaters are more likely to fall from an inability to avoid

an obstacle (in racing another skater, puck or presence of water on the track) or inadequate stopping capability they are quite

likely to go into the mats in pairs or in a group. On all skaters, the size of the gaps shown in this assessment (Figures 2 – 4;

Appendix 1 Figure 3A) may provide areas that could allow skate blades through. Because the helmet has a tendency to move

regardless of position on the head, the gaps also expose areas, such as the temple, to a potential higher risk of impact. In

individuals who are not in the growth spurt, movement of the visor during skating does have the potential to shift enough to

expose the back of the head and potentially cause impact with the neck (Figure 3).

Compromising Safety or Productivity

Studies indicate that an improper environment or poorly fitted, improper equipment can lead to higher potential risk of injury

(Quinn 2009). Speed Skating Canada’s Sport Injury and Medical Emergency Committee (SIMEC)'s Protective Equipment Task

Group was created to address safety concerns with speed skating. Speed Skate Canada and the SIMEC committee face

continued challenges when it comes to PPE compliance. It is important to maintain the higher safety standards for the head,

face and eyes as they make decisions that ensure health and safety are not sacrificed for efficiency and productivity or vice

versa.

Acknowledgements

This study was undertaken with assistance from the T1 Group of the Calgary Speed Skating Association. Thank you to all the

skaters involved. The author would like to thank Dave Thomson and Bruce Thorpe (SSC Referees) for review of the document.

The author would like to thank the Olympic Oval Skate Shop technical staff for their assistance. The author would like to thank

Devault Speed Skating and Ir Diederik Hol CadoMotus for supplying the helmet and its safety specifications and supporting the

study.

References

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http://www.helmetcheck.org/thefit.aspx

APPENDIX 1

Figure A1: Comparison of Marchese Helmet with Evo Helmet typically worn by T1 skaters.

Figure A2: removal of decoration piece on Marchese Helmet

Figure A3: Marchese Helmet fit on Stage 4 short track speed skater.

APPENDIX 2

Questionnaire for skaters wearing Marchese Helmet

What do you like about this helmet?

1. Fit

2. Style

3. Color

4. Other

What do you dislike about this helmet?

1. Fit

2. Style

3. Color

4. Other How did it feel to wear the visor as opposed to glasses? How did you feel about wearing a visor over your glasses? Did you need to move your head more/less to compensate for visor? When you slid into the mats how did the helmet feel? Did it move a little/lot? How do you feel about wearing this helmet?