Reliability of a Test Method to Assess Ice Hockey Head Impacts

Ice hockey has one of the highest concussion rates in sport. A step towards understanding and addressing limitations in current helmet technologies is widespread and accessible testing. A simplified test protocol to assess ice hockey helmet impact properties, especially during collision head impacts, has recently been introduced. The reduction of required laboratory equipment and the feasibility of modifications to standard test protocols are expected positive outcomes of this new method. No study has examined the repeatability and reproducibility for multiple appraisers, leaving uncertainty about the method’s feasibility for use in academic research or certification standards. A proportion of the original data collection (11 impact scenarios, 66 total impacts) was repeated by a second appraiser with no previous involvement or experience in developing or using the test method. A reliability analysis using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC (2, k)) was conducted to supplement the intrarater reliability assessment previously performed. The ICC scores suggest good to excellent interrater reliability across linear and angular acceleration measurements, providing further evidence for the test methods reliability.