A team of biomedical engineers at the University of Rochester is conducting research on the safety of the controversial football maneuver known as the ‘Tush Push.’ This play, popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles, has sparked significant debate regarding its injury risks, particularly for players involved in quarterback sneaks.
Undergraduate research assistant Tina Kyriacou expressed the team’s interest in contributing biomechanical insights to the ongoing conversation. “I think the ‘Tush Push’ has the most controversy around it for football moves, especially with quarterback sneaks,” she stated. The researchers aim to explore safer execution methods for this widely discussed play.
Research Methodology and Technology
This summer, Kyriacou and her colleagues began examining the potential injuries associated with the ‘Tush Push,’ also known as the ‘Brotherly Shove.’ They employed an array of advanced technologies, including high-speed cameras and pressure-sensing insoles, to gather data on player movements during the play. The team utilized software that creates a digital model of a person’s skeleton based on video recordings, allowing them to analyze mechanics in detail.
Postdoctoral associate Aly March elaborated on the research process. “We, as a lab, lined up in tush push formation a couple of times to see if we could record multiple people and see if we could overlay their skeletons,” he explained. This innovative approach enables researchers to capture the intricacies of player movements and assess the forces at work during the play.
The research team collaborated with the university’s football team, setting up high-speed cameras on the field to record various plays. During these sessions, the quarterback wore pressure-sensing insoles that provided valuable data on the forces exerted at each joint during the execution of the play.
Assessing Injury Risks
With data collected, the researchers returned to their lab for analysis. They carefully examined the players’ movements, measuring the power generated in each joint during the ‘Tush Push.’ March emphasized the importance of safety in their findings: “The ultimate goal would be if eventually somebody finds out there is a part of the play that isn’t necessarily safe, finding a way to modify that.”
The NFL recently considered banning the ‘Tush Push’ following a proposal from the Green Bay Packers, but the measure fell two votes short of implementation. The ongoing research at the University of Rochester may provide the insights needed to address safety concerns surrounding this controversial play and inform future discussions on its regulation.
As the study continues, the findings could significantly impact how the ‘Tush Push’ is perceived, ensuring player safety remains a priority in professional football.
