Effect of Protective Helmets on Visual and Sensory Performance
EFFECT OF PROTECTIVE HELMETS ON VISUAL AND SENSORY PERFORMANCE By Michelle Rebecca Kramer Senior Honors Thesis Exercise and Sport Science University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill April 11, 2016 Approved: __________________________________________ Jason Mihalik, PhD, Thesis Advisor Erin Wasserman, PhD, Reader Elizabeth Teel, MS, Reader ABSTRACT MICHELLE REBECCA KRAMER: Effect of Protective Helmets on Visual and Sensory Performance (Under the direction of Jason P. Mihalik) Current helmet testing does not consider implications on ability to see and respond, which is key to reducing injury risk. The purpose was to determine the effect of athletic headgear (i.e., football, lacrosse, and ice hockey helmets) on visual and sensory performance, as measured by scores on the Senaptec Sensory Station. Subjects were assessed on visual clarity, contrast sensitivity, depth perception, near-far quickness, target capture, perception span, multiple object tracking, eye-hand coordination, go/no go, and hand reaction time via the computer based system under helmeted and unhelmeted conditions. Participants performed significantly worse on eye- hand coordination (p=0.01) and go/no go (p<0.01) assessments when wearing a helmet. Hockey helmets significantly affected visual clarity (p=0.01) and hand reaction time (p<0.01), but football and lacrosse helmets did not. Visual training with helmets should be considered to try to combat some of these visual deficits. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................................................
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