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The Sport Digest - ISSN: 1558-6448

Sporting Equipment is Going High-Tech

Over the last few years, sporting equipment has become very high-tech. Almost everyone that uses today’s sporting equipment has seen a number of changes due to modern technology. In the last five years, we have seen at least three changes in football equipment. A new helmet was designed to cut down on the number of concussions. By design, the helmet is supposed to disperse the impact of the collision. The newer helmet is designed to fit the head better than the older helmet. The newer helmet has several inflatable parts that will adjust better to the individuals’ heads. Shoulder pads worn by football players have also been transformed by technology. According to the research, the newer shoulder pads are lighter and cooler for the players. The newer design is supposed to allow heat to leave the body and help the player stay cooler in the heat. The new protective mouth guards are also new for football players. They are designed to cut down on concussions in contact sports. The newer mouth guards are supposed to redirect the impact of collision or contact. There is even a special design for the female athlete.

Tennis may be affected by technology more than any other sport. Modern tennis rackets are significantly bigger and stronger than older models, yet weigh half as much. With players getting bigger a stronger, it will soon be almost impossible to return a serve.

Golf has also been affected by modern technology. Designers have developed clubs that have approximately the same weight as the older clubs but have it distributed around the perimeter of the club, so that the head is far more resistant to off center twisting. In addition, modern metal alloys have allowed for larger iron heads, which increases the size of the sweet spot, thereby increasing the possibility of a good result with a less than perfect swing.

Cycling will never be the same thanks to modern technology. This sport has improved in so many areas that it would take several pages to talk about all the changes. Just to mention a few changes. The new lightweight metal makes the average racking bike weigh just a few pounds. High modulus carbon fiber composite doesn’t just reduce weight, it adds stiffness and capitalizes on carbon’s capacity to absorb road or trail vibration. Almost everyone that uses sports equipment has seen a number of changes due to modern technology.