The health of your field can also impact the safety of your athletes. There are additional performance tests available that can measure other ways your field is interacting with the athletes playing on it. Through the Advanced Artificial Athlete (AAA) machine, there are three player safety metrics that can be collected:

1. Vertical Deformation

Vertical Deformation is the measure of how much a surface gives underfoot. Athletes tend to like a firm surface to play on, which is important for game performance. However, it’s crucial that the field still has some give to protect ankles, knees, etc. Measuring the vertical deformation can ensure your field is playing to the athlete’s expectations, while also helping to alleviate unnecessary injuries.

2. Energy Restitution

Energy Restitution is the measure of how much energy as a percentage is returned from a surface to the athlete. This piece of the test is in line with vertical deformation, in that a field which is too soft or has too much give underfoot can lead to athletes exerting more energy and additional fatigue. The last thing a player wants during a big game is to lose energy when they need it most! 

3. Shock Absorption

Shock Absorption is exactly as it says, the measure of shock absorption percentage by a surface. For reference, a lower score indicates a surface is harder and is absorbing less of the impact. A harder surface means the impact could vibrate back through the athlete’s legs. A higher score indicates a surface is absorbing a higher amount of the shock, with less vibration traveling back to the athlete’s legs.