Shock and Vibration Take a Toll on Athletes' Bone, Joint, and Brain Health — These Materials Reduce the Impact
Impact-absorbing innovation in sports gear can reduce the risks of bone, joint, and brain damage in sports. Here's how the materials behind helmets, rackets, and more make a meaningful difference.
Edited by EE Staff
Sports
Feb 26, 2026
Using a series of specialized pouring machines, the engineering design staff at Sorbothane specializes in shock and vibration solutions. The company performs in-depth testing and quality assurance in its in-house laboratory. The company serves a broad spectrum of industries including, packaging, audio/visual, transportation, lab equipment, aerospace, and more. Here are two products in the company’s sporting goods and fitness line that are making a difference.
Mayfield Athletics Facemask Brackets
The design team from Mayfield Athletics reached out to Sorbothane, Inc. when searching for the right shock-absorbing material to use in their new S.A.F.E. Clip facemask brackets. The school realized that football helmet facemasks were underdeveloped and had the potential for impact-absorbing innovation. S.A.F.E. stands for Shock Absorbing Football Equipment.
Design engineers from both companies collaborated closely to design and create the component required for Mayfield Athletic’s S.A.F.E. Clip design. A shock absorbing polymer material was designed to deform and deflect harmful forces upon impact then return to its original shape with the same compression capabilities as it had originally. Returning almost instantly to its original state the S.A.F.E. Clip is ready for the next impact. Testing has shown that the S.A.F.E. Clip is capable of reducing up to 35% of G-forces to the facemask. Mayfield Athletics’ S.A.F.E. Clip retrofits over 95% of existing football helmets.
ShockSorb Tennis Racket Vibration Damper
For tennis players who require an effective tennis racket vibration damper that maintains a live racket feel, Sorbothane has come up with a solution.
Shoulder injury and recurring pain forced tennis instructor, and former pro, Sky Kim to search for a revolutionary product to control racket vibration and shock. The Sorbothane engineering and production team partnered with Sky to develop a racket damper that would reduce harmful vibration, while at the same time maintaining a distinctive satisfying “pop” when hitting a tennis ball.
The design team was challenged to engineer an effective damper that not only reduced “bad” vibrations but also remained tear-proof and durable. Testing of the final production design of the ShockSorb shows that the damper helps reduce pain and fatigue in the shoulder and arm. Blind tests were held with the participants raving about the ShockSorb’s feel, sound, and how much the damper helped with their arm pain.
For more information:
Sorbothane Sporting Goods & Fitness