Impact Sensors & Safety

Impact sensor technology has moved from experimental research tool to practical safety equipment in hockey. Understanding how these systems work and how to use them effectively is increasingly important for coaches, athletic trainers, and parents at competitive levels of the game.

What You Need to Know

Impact sensors for hockey are designed to measure the magnitude and direction of acceleration forces transmitted to the head during collisions. They typically take one of two forms: sensors embedded in the helmet's padding system, or sensors worn in the mouthguard. Each approach has different placement characteristics relative to the skull and different noise profiles from body acceleration that doesn't translate to head impacts.

The primary use case for real-time impact monitoring is flagging high-magnitude events for medical follow-up. When a sensor reading exceeds a programmed threshold, the monitoring system alerts a designated person on the bench — typically the athletic therapist or trainer — that the event occurred and what force level was measured. This ensures high-force events aren't overlooked in the flow of a game.

The threshold-based system works well for identifying obvious high-magnitude impacts. Its limitation is the lower end of the spectrum: sub-concussive hits that individually may be inconsequential but that accumulate over time into meaningful cumulative exposure. Advanced monitoring systems track cumulative impact load across a season, flagging players whose total exposure crosses defined risk thresholds.

Importantly, a sensor below threshold does not mean a player is unaffected. The sensors are alert systems, not diagnostic tools. Medical evaluation protocols should define what happens after any alert, regardless of whether the player appears symptomatic.

Implementation Guidelines:

• Establish clear alert response protocols before the season begins
• Designate a trained staff member to monitor the system during games
• Document all alerts and follow-up evaluations for seasonal trend analysis
• Never use sensor clearance as a substitute for qualified medical evaluation

Impact sensors add a safety layer that improves the probability of catching high-risk events. Paired with good protocols, they make a real difference.