Impact Protection Equipment for Female Ice Hockey Players Available to Purchase

Current offerings for women's ice hockey equipment are compared to the data collected in a 1993 study conducted on fit and performance of impact protection equipment for female ice hockey players. The growing athletic participation of women in a variety of sports has led to the need for female specific protective clothing, specifically in the sport of ice hockey where women have made large strides worldwide in the last decade. Anatomical differences between men and women, the injury occurrence when playing ice hockey and the current system of sizing hockey equipment were reviewed. The SizeUSA data, which includes the body scans and measurements of over 7,000 American women, is discussed and compared with current sizing information. The size and fit of protective equipment is crucial to providing adequate impact protection to the ice hockey player. Female ice hockey players were surveyed: evaluations were conducted on the current equipment, and research on a system of impact protective clothing is analyzed. A system of protection using garment layers to protect specific areas of the body, allows for ease of movement and sized in a manner consistent with the most current information available is recommended. Further research is needed concerning the performance and acceptance of such equipment.