I am now a true believer in EvoShield

[CycloneSoftball22]

No. The research has been done. Please take the emotion out of it and read the facts. If it makes your or your daughter "feel" better, great, I do understand. Don't be under the illusion that it's actually providing protection from something fatal.

"Current commercially available chest barriers are not sufficiently effective in preventing chest-blow–induced sudden cardiac death and, in fact, probably offer only a false sense of security to athletes, families, and the general public. Therefore, the efforts described herein to produce an effective chest barrier to prevent commotio cordis deserve our attention and support."

Source: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/122/2/437.full.pdf

Anything more updated? These heart/chest protectors have changed quite a bit in the last 5 years

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Why not wear a clown nose instead?

I'm sure you're just trying to be helpful - but starting a post like this invalidates your "take the emotion out of it" position. It's OK that you don't agree by presenting your opinion and assorted research related materials without mocking or belittling those that have a different opinion.

 

[PA SB Dad]

No. The research has been done. Please take the emotion out of it and read the facts. If it makes your or your daughter "feel" better, great, I do understand. Don't be under the illusion that it's actually providing protection from something fatal.

"Current commercially available chest barriers are not sufficiently effective in preventing chest-blow–induced sudden cardiac death and, in fact, probably offer only a false sense of security to athletes, families, and the general public. Therefore, the efforts described herein to produce an effective chest barrier to prevent commotio cordis deserve our attention and support."

Source: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/122/2/437.full.pdf

Yes, the research has been done by dressing up pigs in Heartgards and other soft chest protectors and firing balls at their chests. I am talking about a real clinical trial, in which you take two populations of kids, one with some sort of chest protection, and the other without. How many kids over how many years do you need to conduct that study to conclude that a device is effective in preventing one or two accidental deaths a year? It can't be done for both ethical and practical purposes, so we rely on data collected from a handful of pigs dressed in kids protective wear. To that I say you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.

Again, I reiterate my main point, which is that these devices may not be perfect, but in THIS instance, for THIS child, it prevented a serious injury, whether it was bruised/broken ribs, or something more unthinkable. It may not have prevented death had the ball struck her in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it certainly prevented AN INJURY.

Regarding your previous post regarding neutering the game, if you have actually read the article (perhaps you authored it, I don't know), they recommend the use of age-appropriate softer baseballs, though those still do not eliminate the risk of sudden cardiac death. So why recommend softer balls but not the chest protector if neither is100% effective?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

OK. Mine came in the mail and I tried it this morning. It is great, not uncomfortable and fairly light. A young person would need to get used to it, since females don't usually wear pads, like a football player would. I only put in the chest protector, so far. I don't need the back pads, since I don't bat or run the bases.

I like that they have a guaranteed perfect fit, no questions asked, exchange policy. (Not return)

So, you wear a grey compression shirt, with removable pads. That gives me a compression shirt, if I don't need to wear the pads, that day. Or if a player is between games, I can easily remove the pads.

The gray shirt does not show through a white tee shirt.

Now, I am wondering, if it is HOT, would a teen want to wear a bra, an ecoshield, and a 2 piece uniform shirt? I also am wondering if most girls would even need a bra. This protects the breasts and the sternum. I can see it being popular in soccer and basketball, to ward off elbows.

There is no warning that this does not protect the heart, etc. In fact, there is very little information, with it. For $90.00, I am very pleased.

 

[Lozza]

Where is the evidence that this girl would have been seriously injured if she wasn't wearing t? I've taken balls to the chest and never had a broken rib of had my heart stop.

 

[MsDinosaur]

OK. Mine came in the mail and I tried it this morning. It is great, not uncomfortable and fairly light. A young person would need to get used to it, since females don't usually wear pads, like a football player would. I only put in the chest protector, so far. I don't need the back pads, since I don't bat or run the bases.

I like that they have a guaranteed perfect fit, no questions asked, exchange policy. (Not return)

So, you wear a grey compression shirt, with removable pads. That gives me a compression shirt, if I don't need to wear the pads, that day. Or if a player is between games, I can easily remove the pads.

The gray shirt does not show through a white tee shirt.

Now, I am wondering, if it is HOT, would a teen want to wear a bra, an ecoshield, and a 2 piece uniform shirt? I also am wondering if most girls would even need a bra. This protects the breasts and the sternum. I can see it being popular in soccer and basketball, to ward off elbows.

There is no warning that this does not protect the heart, etc. In fact, there is very little information, with it. For $90.00, I am very pleased.

So it only comes in gray? I wonder if they've given any consideration to offering it in a choice of colors, perhaps for an extra 5-10 dollars. Most teams only allow certain colors of undershirts to be worn. So, as Amy says, a girl would have to wear her bra, the Evoshield shirt, a team color tee to cover the Evoshield and the team jersey. That's an awful lot of clothing on a hot day.

---Or could it perhaps be offered in a tank top/sleeveless tee style? Maybe include a shelf bra; that would eliminate the need for a separate one for most girls.

 

[softballphreak]

Where is the evidence that this girl would have been seriously injured if she wasn't wearing t? I've taken balls to the chest and never had a broken rib of had my heart stop.

I guess one can't prove a negative. But there are probably others who HAVE been injured.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It is a tank top. It seems much more protective than a catchers chest protector (in my opinion.) Many female athletes would not need a bra with it. If someone throws an elbow (soccer or basketball) that person is going to know that they hit some thing.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I guess one can't prove a negative. But there are probably others who HAVE been injured.

They could wear two of them. They would have twice the protection!

 

[PGSAKen]

DD has worn one since they came out. Even in the heat she doesnt take it off as she forgets its there.

She pitches in it too.

She has been saved many bruises and possible fractures through the months. Everytime she gets hit with the ball she never misses a beat.

if all it does is save bruised meat, muscle, organs, bone its still worth it.