About Shield Hawk 

 

Current helmet technology reduces and absorbs the lateral and rotational collision forces that can contribute to head and neck injuries. Still, it offers no standard solution for impact forces sustained directly by the helmet's facemask. Shield Hawk minimizes the impact of concussive and subconcussive hits to the facemask at all age levels.
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Much more research is required regarding subconcussive hits, which are most likely related to repetitive head impacts (RHI) and typically do not present the same way a severe concussive hit does. Researchers have been studying the long-term effect of subconcussive hits. Some researchers believe that brain trauma among football players (and athletes in other sports such as lacrosse and hockey) may be less the result of violent collisions that cause concussions as the cumulative effect of repetitive head impacts (RHI). 
 
At Shield Hawk, we are committed to designing safety products to help athletes compete more safely and provide peace of mind to those who love watching them play. The Shield Hawk significantly reduces the rotational acceleration to a player's head by up to 45%. The shear deformation of brain tissue caused by rotational acceleration is the predominant mechanism of injury in concussion. Shield Hawk addresses the forgotten facemask, whether the hits are repetitive, incidental, or severe. Shield Hawk pads the player's facemask, helping absorb detrimental impact forces while protecting players from spinal injury due to incidental gripping of the facemask.  
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Prior products have attempted to solve one or more of these issues using collapsible hinges, springs, or absorption clips that attach the facemask directly to the helmet. Adding this type of protection is costly and may not protect the player uniformly from collisions impacting different angles of the facemask. These devices may also interfere with removing a player's facemask safely due to injury and may present a safety risk to the player as multiple parts may break upon impact.

           Biomechanics of Concussion, David F. Meaney, PhDa, and Douglas H. Smith, MDb

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