Performance and durability of Taekwondo headgear

Abstract Taekwondo is a martial arts sport involving kicks to the head. Participants must wear headgear to reduce injury risk, yet no test standards or performance thresholds exist for this protective equipment. The aim of this study was to test headgear under simulated use conditions to quantitatively compare scenarios relevant to head injury. Four commonly used brands of Taekwondo headgear were subjected to seven different tests: simulated aging, typical use, ultraviolet light, repeated laboratory impacts, temperature, moisture, and simulated mechanical damage. Headgear performance was assessed using a drop tower and an instrumented headform from which a Gadd Severity Index was found. The severity index differed by up to a factor of four between the headgear tested. Simulated aging was found more likely to decrease a headgear’s performance than use or simulated mechanical damage. Environments occurring in play, such as elevated temperatures and moisture, also led to a temporary decrease in headgear performance.