Recognising the rise in participation in women’s contact sports like Rugby Union and AFL, Bond University has partnered with Queensland company - Fempro Armour - to develop cutting edge protective body armour designed specifically for the female body.
Fempro Armour founder Stephanie Bofinger is a former professional athlete who is passionate about reducing short and long-term injuries and improving safety for women in contact sports.
Bofinger shared “the risk of injury for female athletes, especially in contact sports, is unacceptably high due to ill-fitting protective gear and under-researched safety standards that do not account for the anatomical differences in the female body.”
The safety and protection of female athletes have often been overlooked, with most protective gear being designed primarily for male athletes. This gender disparity has led to higher injury rates among female athletes due to ill-fitting gear and inadequate safety standards that do not consider the unique anatomical differences of the female body.
In the realm of sports, traumatic breast injuries are not uncommon. These can cause significant discomfort, visible bruising, and sometimes, swelling of breast tissue. A serious concern in such cases is the risk of haemorrhaging, where damage to major blood vessels can lead to severe, life-threatening bleeding.
Fempro Armour technology is a potential game changer for women’s contact sports and Bond University is supporting Fempro Armour in the critical stages of bringing the technology to market.
Fempro Armour uses patented impact absorption technology to reduce the force of contact to vulnerable areas identified in extensive research into common injuries to female athletes.
The lightweight armour, which is highly breathable and moisture wicking, features a web of interconnected air pockets which compress on impact, absorbing more energy than traditional foam padding.
The armour has undergone extensive laboratory testing and has been trialled by elite athletes from Bond University, which boasts the number one women’s rugby program in Australia.
Bond University athletes test the gear, with a research team scientifically documenting the benefits to players. Professor Alan Patching and his Industry Engagement department will help drive Fempro Armour’s commercialisation strategy.
Three athletes put the Fempro Armour through its paces during their 2023 Rugby Union Season, in which the Bull Sharks’ successfully defended their Queensland Premier Rugby title while also claiming the inaugural Australian Club Rugby Championship.
Their input and feedback will help Fempro Armour refine the design to maximise protection and comfort before the public release.
According to Zoe Hanna, who won best on ground in the grand final win and was this year’s recipient of the prestigious John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship, the development of such a product for female athletes is truly exciting and showcases how far women’s sport has come.
Hanna shared “as a female rugby player, this kind of tailored protection could change the game for women’s contact sports.
“Stephanie and her team are creating something that isn’t just a ‘pink it and shrink it’ version of men’s gear. It’s designed by women, for women, with our specific needs in mind.”
Professor Patching struck a partnership with Fempro Armour after hearing its founder Stephanie Bofinger share her vision at a Bond University event in 2022.
Professor Patching enthused "we are excited and proud to be supporting the development of this innovative and important protective gear for women rugby players the world over.
“That is the type of innovation we love to be involved with, and we look forward to not only our women players, but also those across Australia and the world, benefiting from wearing Fempro Armour as soon as the research and development phase is completed in the very near future.”
Fempro Armour expects to release the world’s first commercially available female-specific protective sports gear to Rugby Union and AFL athletes next year, with plans to expand into additional sports.
When it’s released, the armour will be the only European Certified product on the market for female Rugby Union athletes, meaning the body armour has been tested, approved and surpasses European safety standards.
Image. Bond University Zoe Hannah testing Fempro Armour. Credit Bond University
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