A mass of an elastic or plastic material or other deformable material is used to cushion and absorb the energy of impact when one rigid body strikes another, the mass of deformable material having at least one liquid filled leakproof interior cavity traversing substantially all of the mass. The mass is interposed between the impacting bodies and may be affixed to one or the other. The crushing effect of the impact pressurizes the liquid thereby causing the material to be stressed and deformed as energy is absorbed. A reservoir may be fixed between impacting bodies and be connected by tubing to a pressure vessel which expands to absorb energy.