sportstyle

sportstylemag.com • sportstyle November 2020 • 57 tech: PRODUCTS H ead injuries remain a prime concern of all team sports and the ability to determine just how bad an injury is affecting an athlete is vital to diagnosis and treatment. So drawing on decades of medical research, a company called HitCheck has taken standardized cognitive testing methods and translated them into short, interactive, simple mobile assessment exercises users can take immediately whenever and wherever an injury is suspected. Each test measures a specific aspect of brain performance, such as coordination, memory and reaction time. Once the test is complete, HitCheck captures, records and compares these objective, quantitative results with prior performance and highlights changes in brain functions that may require additional medical attention. Unlike other programs, HitCheck includes baseline testing and unlimited post-injury and recovery testing for every player. This all-inclusive approach encourages regular testing to detect underlying issues and collect more comprehensive data to share with a medical practitioner. n 2- HIT CHECK IT OUT- 3- Some Elbow Room- P rotection comes in all forms and for a baseball or soft- ball batter increasingly that means high-tech gear for protecting not only the head, but elbows, shins and other vulnerable body parts. That's where the G-Form White Gold Elite Batter's Elbow Guard comes in. The Elbow Guard features patented SmartFlex technology that is flexible during play yet amazingly hardens immediately on impact to give batters total freedom of movement and protection. How does it work? The technology is actually fairly simple to understand: Inside the Pad: The molecules in the foam slightly repel each other, making the material soft and flexible. Upon Impact: Molecules bind together causing the pads to stiffen, absorb and redistribute the energy from the impact. After Impact: Molecules return to their original state and the pads go back to being soft and malleable. SmartFlex body-mapped pads are specifically designed for the impacts of each sport and absorb impact energy to protect the body, all while remaining lightweight and flexible. n 4- A Splash for Football A return to football fields in this year of COVID-19 is only possible if player safety remains at the forefront of concerns and Schutt Sports has answered the call with its new Splash Shield that will offer some protection for football players from harmful droplets caused by talking, sneezing and coughing in close proximity. The Splash Shield is made of a clear optical material and has slotted tabs for ease in con- necting to any faceguard on any helmet. While the Splash Shield will offer some protection, it can only limit exposure to airborne droplets that the athlete encounters during play. n

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