Monthly Archives: October 2016

Additive Manufacturing, American Manufacturing, Health Care, Implants, Medical Device Manufacturing, Medical Implants, Medical Manufacturing, Medical Technology, Midwest Manufacturing

FIFA 11+ Helps Prevent Soccer Related Injuries

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As experts in the medical device manufacturing industry, we like to keep up on trends happening throughout the sports world. We have previously written about injuries that players in the NFL and MLB experience in their careers. In this blog, we will take a look at soccer injuries and the changes that are in place to protect players.

Soccer, as one of the first organized sports that children play, combines running and kicking that are natural playground abilities. These skills translate easily into a team game. Kids as young as four are on teams learning coordination, hone their skills, and utilize teamwork. Soccer is a perfect first sport as, at this level, it is noncontact and serves to introduce children to being active and involved. But, as kids get older the competition and play get tougher and rougher. This is a favorite sport globally and injury risks are a worldwide concern.

In order to reduce soccer related injuries among male and female athletes aged 14 years and older, a warm-up program was developed by an international group of experts. The FIFA 11+ is a program that has been shown to reduce player injury by 30-50% in teams that performed these exercises at least twice a week. Through training and progression, player’s bodies are conditioned and strengthened to be less vulnerable to the most common strains and sprains of the legs and hips.

Head, neck, and face injuries are also a serious concern for soccer players. The risk of concussion and head/neck injuries are a result of contact and collision with other players. Heading the ball is also an issue among very young athletes who suffer harm from improper technique and repetitive actions in training. Because of this, the U.S. Soccer Federation issued new guidelines that bar children under ten from heading the ball during practice or games and limiting heading in players aged 11-13 during practice.

These training and exercise programs are having a positive influence on the sport to reduce injury risk among young players. Even with all of these precautions, there will still be injuries. Hammill Medical is a manufacturer of orthopedic and spinal implants, surgical instruments, and implantable medical devices. We are committed to working with our customers from initial concept, through design and manufacturing to produce the highest quality products at an affordable cost. Contact us today with any further inquiries.

Additive Manufacturing, American Manufacturing, Future Technology, Medical Device Manufacturing, Medical Manufacturing

What is National Manufacturing Day?

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As the manufacturing sector continues to grow and develop, manufacturers continue to seek ways to further educate the public on the amazing new opportunities that are presenting themselves. A good deal of the American public still has misconceptions about manufacturing, the careers that are available, and the conditions of manufacturing – in fact, studies earlier this year showed that up to 50% up respondents had a view of manufacturing that conflicts with the reality of it. One of the best ways manufacturers have found to help dispel these myths is through the annual National Manufacturing Day celebrations and events.

What is National Manufacturing Day?

National Manufacturing Day is a day that has been selected for companies and community organizations to work together to plan events that are targeted at inspiring a new generation of manufacturers. It is a coordinated effort aimed at addressing misperceptions of manufacturing, through cooperation with schools and manufacturers opening their doors to the public. Manufacturing Day addresses:

  • nmd-logo-oct-2016The shortage of skilled manufacturers
  • The public image of manufacturing overall
  • Concerns and challenges facing individual manufacturing sectors and the industry as a whole
  • Interaction with the local community

Officially occurring on the first Friday of October – this year, on October 7th – the partners behind Manufacturing Day also like to stress that it can really be any day of the year. Developing future talent for the industry and working with the community should be an ongoing concern, and while most events will be on the 7th, many manufacturers and technical schools may hold events in the days surrounding it, if it is better for them and the potential workers they will host.

Hammill’s Involvement

Here at Hammill, we appreciate how Manufacturing Day demonstrates to communities that manufacturing like ours is a great career for the future. As a manufacturer of medical devices, our facility may seem more like a laboratory than the manufacturing of your father’s days. Innovative, clean, technologically advanced – a far cry from dirty, manual, back-breaking work some people envision. Our family-owned-and-operated business, ISO accredited and registered with the FDA, supplies implants and surgical instruments to a number of medical fields.

So if you are interested in a new product, a product we’ve made in the past, or are interested in learning more about apprenticeship and employment at Hammill Medical, contact us today for more information!