Pressure sensor calibration for measuring stud-player impacts

In rugby union, laceration injuries can occur from players stamping on opponents in the ruck. To measure the stud-skin interaction during stamping movements, pressure sensors can be used. Pressure sensor calibration techniques have highlighted the need to perform calibrations using appropriate impact dynamics. A pilot study with seven rugby players informed the expected peak forces and loading rates of rugby stamps. Subsequently, a custom calibration procedure was developed, using a drop hammer and force platform to replicate the experimentally observed forces and loading rates. The conventional calibration of the pressure sensor system, supplied by the manufacturer, overestimated total force by 132%. The method described in this paper resulted in a mean error of 7.5%. This study describes a simple and effective calibration procedure for using pressure sensors when measuring the peak force from stud-player impacts. The method has potential to be used as an improved calibration protocol when the expected peak force range of the measured event is between 1800 and 3000 N. The calibrated pressure sensors will be used to obtain kinetic data from stamping events in the ruck in rugby union.