Cool Shoulder Pads

December 20, 2006

A little science has given the Florida Gators an edge in cooling down on the field. University of Florida researchers have developed special shoulder pads that channel forced cool air between a player’s uniform and body. When players hit the bench, they plug a tube concealed in their pads into a benchside cooling compressor. UF researcher Nick Gravenstein says players seem to like the pads’ cooling effects. 

Gravenstein: “Players do not typically even get back to normal body temperature in the time available to them during halftime, so as you learn more about this, it’s less and less of a surprise as to why people begin to run out of gas during the fourth quarter.”

Experts say even well-conditioned athletes need water and rest to cool down, but the aircooled shoulder pads offer another cooling tool.

Gravenstein: “In terms of precisely how much this improves safety, we don’t know as this is still a relatively new idea, and we are trying to get data. But this is not straightforward data to get because not every player changes their temperature at the same amount.” 

The system may also reduce the amount of sweat athletes lose as their bodies and temperatures heat up.

(See related post: Air-Conditioned Football Pads Developed By UF Scientists Could Help Players Stay Cool)