Safer Helmet

clone4sure

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ISU is a Science and Technology University. I wonder if some of these people in that department could design a helmet that better protects football players from concussions or head injuries.
 

DSMCy

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The research so far is pretty clear that it's the shaking of the head, not the helmet.

Soccer is known for concussions as well.
 

TXCyclones

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Watch the Will Smith move Concussion. There's not a helmet that can stop the brain from bouncing against the inside of the skull. Our brains aren't anchored like those of other species (like woodpeckers).
 

Beyerball

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I watched a documentary on helmets cause I thought the same thing like why can't they design a helmet to prevent this..with the most advanced materials of today it would take like 8 inches of internal padding to fully prevent concussions.
 

3TrueFans

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Watch the Will Smith move Concussion. There's not a helmet that can stop the brain from bouncing against the inside of the skull. Our brains aren't anchored like those of other species (like woodpeckers).
Obvious solution, Woodpecker Football.
 

dualthreat

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I would guess a significant amount of concussions come during a play where there was no direct hit to the head.
 

BWRhasnoAC

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I would guess a significant amount of concussions come during a play where there was no direct hit to the head.

I have no data but imagine that is true. If the body is whipped due to impact, impact to the head has little relevance to the severity of the injury. My own concussion in high school was from a direct impact to the chin, from the crown of the NG helmet.
 

Yellow Snow

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I would guess a significant amount of concussions come during a play where there was no direct hit to the head.

I agree. My concussion happened when my head hit the ground. Nobody even touched my upper body on the play.
 

ISUcyclones11

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Alright, so I guess the only option left is to task Genetic Engineers the job of making sure that all newborns have anchored brains, like woodpeckers.
 

CyInDFW

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The two concussions that I know I've had both came from hitting my head on the ground while being tackled. Nothing could have prevented them other than the ground being covered in a foot of bubble wrap or me being faster than the other guy.

As an old rugger here, I hear it all the time and thought it myself back in the day...'the NFL and college football need to go back to the rugby style, no helmets or pads if they want to reduce injuries'. That has been proven statistically incorrect. There are more catastrophic (paralysis, death, coma) injuries and head trauma injuries (including concussions) in rugby as there are in football, by about a 4-1 ratio.

The only way to reduce the number of concussions is to reduce the number of collisions...and we all know they won't be going to flag football or two hand touch anytime soon.
 

IAStubborn

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The two concussions that I know I've had both came from hitting my head on the ground while being tackled. Nothing could have prevented them other than the ground being covered in a foot of bubble wrap or me being faster than the other guy.

As an old rugger here, I hear it all the time and thought it myself back in the day...'the NFL and college football need to go back to the rugby style, no helmets or pads if they want to reduce injuries'. That has been proven statistically incorrect. There are more catastrophic (paralysis, death, coma) injuries and head trauma injuries (including concussions) in rugby as there are in football, by about a 4-1 ratio.

The only way to reduce the number of concussions is to reduce the number of collisions...and we all know they won't be going to flag football or two hand touch anytime soon.

You have links? Your stats are quite different than anything I have read. Freakonomics did a piece on helmets actually increasing concussions and had some good data to back it up. However, helmets also nerf eliminated sudden death that was somewhat common.
 

CyInDFW

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You have links? Your stats are quite different than anything I have read. Freakonomics did a piece on helmets actually increasing concussions and had some good data to back it up. However, helmets also nerf eliminated sudden death that was somewhat common.


I know there are differing opinions on this just as with everything. I'll put a couple links here that I've found and will dig some to see if I can find some of the others again.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/8660698/The-school-of-hard-knocks

http://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/latest-news/head-injuries-rugby-vs-football/

I don't know if helmets do cause more concussions or not, but I'm a firm believer that football players nowadays think they can fly in helmet first because the helmet and pads make them invincible. Things like Sportscenter top 10 videos glorify huge hits that are dangerous, Pee Wee coaches and up aren't teaching the kids how to actually tackle anymore.
 

BWRhasnoAC

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I know there are differing opinions on this just as with everything. I'll put a couple links here that I've found and will dig some to see if I can find some of the others again.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/8660698/The-school-of-hard-knocks

http://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/latest-news/head-injuries-rugby-vs-football/

I don't know if helmets do cause more concussions or not, but I'm a firm believer that football players nowadays think they can fly in helmet first because the helmet and pads make them invincible. Things like Sportscenter top 10 videos glorify huge hits that are dangerous, Pee Wee coaches and up aren't teaching the kids how to actually tackle anymore.

I'm not sure you can make that blanket statement anymore but the last 20 years I would agree. Tackling form has been a huge point of emphasis for the last ten years in football. I know this because my father has coached for 20 years and it is something you hear universally reinforced within coaching circles.
 

FarminCy

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I know there are differing opinions on this just as with everything. I'll put a couple links here that I've found and will dig some to see if I can find some of the others again.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/8660698/The-school-of-hard-knocks

http://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/latest-news/head-injuries-rugby-vs-football/

I don't know if helmets do cause more concussions or not, but I'm a firm believer that football players nowadays think they can fly in helmet first because the helmet and pads make them invincible. Things like Sportscenter top 10 videos glorify huge hits that are dangerous, Pee Wee coaches and up aren't teaching the kids how to actually tackle anymore.

That is just flat out not true. I coach youth football and have helped with high school camps in the last 5 years. I've also attended many college practices. The "heads up" movement is everywhere. Tackling from the youngest levels on up is taught to tackle through with your chest with your head up and having the facemask make contact. I played college ball in the late 90's and early 2000's and even then there was a lot of awareness about tackling with your chest. Proper tackling form is something that is worked on every day regardless of what part of the season it is.
 

BigJ4CY

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I know there are differing opinions on this just as with everything. I'll put a couple links here that I've found and will dig some to see if I can find some of the others again.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/8660698/The-school-of-hard-knocks

http://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/latest-news/head-injuries-rugby-vs-football/

I don't know if helmets do cause more concussions or not, but I'm a firm believer that football players nowadays think they can fly in helmet first because the helmet and pads make them invincible. Things like Sportscenter top 10 videos glorify huge hits that are dangerous, Pee Wee coaches and up aren't teaching the kids how to actually tackle anymore.


Not sure about other leagues but the youth football league that I have been involved with the last several years stresses heads up tackling and they follow USA football guidelines for tackling. Even that won't prevent all concussions because sometimes accidents happen and football is a violent game by nature.
 

TheBigAwesome

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Jun 5, 2012
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A while back I read something about a new technology/approach that uses a collar to limit blood flow out of the brain. The idea being that the "extra" blood in the brain acts as a cushion by limiting the give inside the skull (less rattling of the brain).

I did a search and found this article from last November that I think is what I'm remembering:
www.webmd.com/brain/news/20151120/new-collar-aims-to-help-shield-brain-from-concussion
 

RIPVEISHEA

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Mar 27, 2015
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I think something like this brainBAND will be the future of contact sports. I've seen some where it alerts the sir/ref when a head injury has been sustained. They can stop play immediately and get the injured player out of the game.

https://youtu.be/SHQ2uhQkncI
 

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