Advances in Sports Equipment 

Improving Equipment 

When designing sports equipment the design has to enhance performance, be user friendly and be safer in order to beat out previous competitors. This requires knowledge of material science, anatomy, physics, physiology, biomechanics and mechanical engineering so that it can be applied to the joint and ligament movements of the body(Froes, 1997).

When selecting a material its strength, density, cost, flexibility, modulus, toughness and fatigue resistance are all taken into account(Froes, 1997).

Some common materials include, ceramics, polymers, metals and other synthetic- hybrid materials. However, these were not always the norm. Sport equipment has evolved from wood, strings and rubbers to the materials we see today (Rosandich, 2008).

The sports equipment industry is very competitive. Companies are constantly working on coming up with new products to improve performance. In the professional sports world fractions of a second can determine a win and athletes are willing to pay the extra money in order to have the best equipment. Amateurs also invest a fair bit into equipment as well (Rosandich, 2008).

Examples of Advanced and Developed Equipment

The Bike

 The bike has made several developments in the 200 years they have been around. The first bike was invented by Baron Von Drais in 1817 and was made of wood. It had no pedals and in order to make it move one had to us their feet to push the bike(Adams, 2002). In 1865 pedals were added to the front wheels to provide comfort and improve speed. Five years later the first metal bike was introduced with rubber wheels to ensure a smoother ride. People figured out that larger the wheel was the farther distance one could travel with one pedal so the wheels became as large as possible. However, this presented a serious safety problem. The rider was much higher then the center of gravity and if the bike ever had to come to a sudden stop or hit a rock the rider would be sent flying off their bike(Adams, 2002).This brought them back to the previous design with two wheels the same size in the early 1900s. The bike could travel just as fast as the gear ratio had been improved and the pedals were no longer on the front wheels. With the industrial revolution kids bikes became very popular and had elements that made them look a little bit like cars or motor cycles. By the 60’s bikes were thin, lighter and simple in appearance. Slight modifications have been made to this design(Adams, 2002).

One of the major advances occurred in the frame of the bike. The diamond frame and alternate- structure cross frame are the most commonly used today. They are made from thin walled tubular parts that are designed to resist tension, twisting and bending(Adams, 2002).It is also lighter weight. The highest quality material for this are carbon- fiber composites because they are low in density, aluminums because they are stiff and titaniums because they provide strength. Some bikes are made with a combination of these elements. However, these are very expansive and most amateurs buy steel bikes(Froes, 1997).

Other developments have been made to other spokes, chains, tires, seats, and pedals as well.

Evidence of the success of these advancements was shown in 1989 when Greg LeMond won the Tour de France. His bike had shortened handle bars and padded tubing that made his bike more aerodynamic(Froes, 1997).

Early 1800s bike

1960s bike


Tennis

Tennis rackets have made several significant developments quit quickly. Up until the 1970’s tennis rackets were heavy and made from wood and strings. It was flexible in comparison to the modern day racket. They were also made much smaller, 27x9 inches. The wooden material was the first thing to be changed. Steel rackets were introduced that could take more force with out stretching the limits of the material. They were also much lighter and made playing tennis less physically straining. The next advancement was the size of the head. The racket head increase so that there was more space the ball could bounce off of. This also lowered the risk of getting tennis elbow as it minimized the vibrations that cause it(Froes, 1997).

Tennis rackets are now made out of titanium, magnesium, aluminum and steels. To reduce vibrations the handles are now made with layers of fiber to soften the vibrations before they reach the elbows(Froes, 1997).

Late 1800s bike

Modern Bike

Hockey

Hockey has made several developments in much of the equipment used in the sport to improve mianly safety.

The first goalie mask was designed in 1929 by goalie Clint Benedict. He was inspired by females goalie Elizabeth Graham who wore a fencing mask during a game. In 1936 Benedict’s leather mask was improved by Teiji Homma who added a cage to create distance between the face and the point of impact. In the early 1960s fiberglass masks were introduced. These were made to absorb shock and to be less flexible then the leather masks. By 1972 the helmet goalie mask was made. It was essentially a hockey helmet with a full cage. This was made from fiberglass. This is the version of the goalie mask that has been most successful so far. It protects the full head from injury. Companies have made slight modifications to improve comfort and performance as well. Many goalies have images on their masks now to represent their team.

Cricket pads were used as the first goalie leg pads. They were made of leather and deer hair in the 1930s. These were then adapted in the 1940s to better suit hockey. Extra material was added to the edge of the pads to increase surface area. In the 1980s more pads were added to protect the inside of the legs and knees and toe foils were added. Plastics were also added to the outside to act as shields to absorb shock. In the 1990s high density foams started being used as well.

The first hockey player to wear a helmet was George Owen in 1928. It was just a leather helmet but, that action demonstrated the need for helmets in hockey. Helmets are now made out of vinyl nitrile that is a shock absorber. The helmets are sometimes lined with this or expanding polypropylene foam. The helmets are used to reduce the likely hood of concussions. In 1979 helmets became mandatory in the NHL.