The Helmet That Can Save Football

[CodeMonkey]

Interesting read.

 

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-12/helmet-wars-and-new-helmet-could-protect-us-all

[bowery4]

A similar idea is used in Motorcycle racing helmets already, will look for the link but not sure where I read it (it was a while ago).

[Max997]

i was thinking something more like Dark Helmet

[K-9]

Once again, and for the umpteenth time, there is not now nor will there ever be a helmet that will prevent concussions. Period. End of discussion. It simply can't be done.

 

That said, the new technology that allows medical staff on the sidelines to determine in real time whether an impact threshold has been crossed, WILL mitigate damage simply because they will know right away to remove a player from the game. There is no getting your bell rung and returning to the game. I'm willing to bet that many serious concussions were the result of previously slightly concussed players returning to the game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[MarkKelso'sHelmet]

Really? So humans can land on the moon, but they can't design a helmet to prevent head trauma? That somehow is against the laws of physics? How is it then that you never hear about nascar drivers or motorcycle racers having concussions? That's because of the helmet technology. Check out some of the best crashes in motorcycle racing -- the impact is exponentially greater in some of the crashes you'll see, and yet the drivers walk away without concussions. If they hadn't been wearing the helmet, they'd surely be dead. The point that there is no way to prevent injury in the NFL is of course true, but you're saying something different altogether. The fact of the matter is that technology can reduce head trauma. PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION.

Technology has a pretty high ceiling.

 

Once again, and for the umpteenth time, there is not now nor will there ever be a helmet that will prevent concussions. Period. End of discussion. It simply can't be done.

 

That said, the new technology that allows medical staff on the sidelines to determine in real time whether an impact threshold has been crossed, WILL mitigate damage simply because they will know right away to remove a player from the game. There is no getting your bell rung and returning to the game. I'm willing to bet that many serious concussions were the result of previously slightly concussed players returning to the game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited December 26, 2012 by MarkKelso'sHelmet

[Big Gun]

Once again, and for the umpteenth time, there is not now nor will there ever be a helmet that will prevent concussions. Period. End of discussion. It simply can't be done.

 

That said, the new technology that allows medical staff on the sidelines to determine in real time whether an impact threshold has been crossed, WILL mitigate damage simply because they will know right away to remove a player from the game. There is no getting your bell rung and returning to the game. I'm willing to bet that many serious concussions were the result of previously slightly concussed players returning to the game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

100% correct.

 

A concussion is a by product of the brain slapping the inside of the skull. No helmet can stop that.

[CodeMonkey]

Once again, and for the umpteenth time, there is not now nor will there ever be a helmet that will prevent concussions. Period. End of discussion. It simply can't be done.

 

That said, the new technology that allows medical staff on the sidelines to determine in real time whether an impact threshold has been crossed, WILL mitigate damage simply because they will know right away to remove a player from the game. There is no getting your bell rung and returning to the game. I'm willing to bet that many serious concussions were the result of previously slightly concussed players returning to the game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

100% correct.

 

A concussion is a by product of the brain slapping the inside of the skull. No helmet can stop that.

Actually 100% incorrect. He used the words "prevent concussions". Helmets can, and to some degree already do, prevent concussions. And improvements on that can still be achieved.

However I would agree that concussions probably cannot be eliminated completely..

Edited December 26, 2012 by CodeMonkey

[Acantha]

100% correct.

 

A concussion is a by product of the brain slapping the inside of the skull. No helmet can stop that.

No, but a helmet can dampen the impact that causes the brain to slap the inside of the skull.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Faustus

[K-9]

Actually 100% incorrect. He used the words "prevent concussions". Helmets can, and to some degree already do, prevent concussions. And improvements on that can still be achieved.

However I would agree that concussions probably cannot be eliminated completely..

 

We'll have to agree to disagree then. Helmets do not in any way prevent a concussion. The ONLY thing helmets can prevent are skull fractures, abrasions, and contusions. That's it. There is simply nothing now or in the future that will prevent the motion of the brain inside the cranium.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

No, but a helmet can dampen the impact that causes the brain to slap the inside of the skull.

Really? So humans can land on the moon, but they can't design a helmet to prevent head trauma? That somehow is against the laws of physics? How is it then that you never hear about nascar drivers or motorcycle racers having concussions? That's because of the helmet technology. Check out some of the best crashes in motorcycle racing -- the impact is exponentially greater in some of the crashes you'll see, and yet the drivers walk away without concussions. If they hadn't been wearing the helmet, they'd surely be dead. The point that there is no way to prevent injury in the NFL is of course true, but you're saying something different altogether. The fact of the matter is that technology can reduce head trauma. PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION.

Technology has a pretty high ceiling.

 

Who said anything about not preventing head trauma? Helmets prevent all sorts of head trauma; chiefly skull fractures, abrasions, and contusions.

 

As for NASCAR, you are mainly referring to the HANS device which, to make a long story short does a great job of dissipating energy and preventing basilar skull fractures. That, along with the softer safety barriers used today, have helped. But they don't prevent. That's the key.

 

As for the future, who knows? But it's one helluva challenge to stop the brain from moving inside the skull. And that's what it will take. Linear acceleration is one thing, rotational acceleration is quite another.

 

Anyway, I've said my piece on this subject dozens of times since it was first brought up some 15 years ago. Have at it fellas.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited December 26, 2012 by K-9

[Beerball]

Really? So humans can land on the moon, but they can't design a helmet to prevent head trauma? That somehow is against the laws of physics? How is it then that you never hear about nascar drivers or motorcycle racers having concussions? That's because of the helmet technology. Check out some of the best crashes in motorcycle racing -- the impact is exponentially greater in some of the crashes you'll see, and yet the drivers walk away without concussions. If they hadn't been wearing the helmet, they'd surely be dead. The point that there is no way to prevent injury in the NFL is of course true, but you're saying something different altogether. The fact of the matter is that technology can reduce head trauma. PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION.

Technology has a pretty high ceiling.

Mitigate yes, prevent no.

[dogman]

A piece of this that is rarely talked about is the way kids are taught to tackle. Players used to be taught to turn their head to the side and tackle with their shoulder pads. Since sometime in the late 1970s coaches began teaching them to square up and stick their facemask into the player. Probably a superior method-except for all the brain damage and stuff.

[Just Jack]

How is it then that you never hear about nascar drivers or motorcycle racers having concussions?

 

You do, just a couple months ago....

 

http://espn.go.com/r...ore-concussions

[K-9]

A piece of this that is rarely talked about is the way kids are taught to tackle. Players used to be taught to turn their head to the side and tackle with their shoulder pads. Since sometime in the late 1970s coaches began teaching them to square up and stick their facemask into the player. Probably a superior method-except for all the brain damage and stuff.

 

That technique was adopted as a way of lessening the amount of neck fractures in the game. And it worked. I would teach a combination of keeping your head up AND using the shoulder.

 

More than anything though, the sheer forces that superior athletes bring to the game has led to the increase in brain trauma injuries.

 

Like I said upthread, the new helmets that can transmit real-time data to medical staff on the sideline to determine whether a threshold has been crossed, has real potential help these players by preventing a worse concussion. Once you suffer a concussion the potential to suffer another is exponential and requires less impact. By keeping players out of games as an act of prevention, the number of severe concussions can be lessened. That's our best hope.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited December 26, 2012 by K-9

[peterpan]

Really? So humans can land on the moon, but they can't design a helmet to prevent head trauma? That somehow is against the laws of physics? How is it then that you never hear about nascar drivers or motorcycle racers having concussions? That's because of the helmet technology. Check out some of the best crashes in motorcycle racing -- the impact is exponentially greater in some of the crashes you'll see, and yet the drivers walk away without concussions. If they hadn't been wearing the helmet, they'd surely be dead. The point that there is no way to prevent injury in the NFL is of course true, but you're saying something different altogether. The fact of the matter is that technology can reduce head trauma. PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION.

Technology has a pretty high ceiling.

 

FWIW Motorcycle helmets are a one time use instrument. Once you slam it on the pavement - and in some cases drop it from the handlebars - it is supposed t be replaced as its usefullness as been expended.

 

Is the NFL going to have players get a new helmet any time there is head-to-head contact? I guess they could, obviously HS and most college teams couldnt afford it, but I doubt it ever comes to that in the NFL.

 

Meanwhile I do think Urlacher was right in saying that a lot of these newer, supposedly better air bladder helmets, are in fact worse than the old school riddells.

[ExiledInIllinois]

What is interesting is one poster's take. Why are helmets hard shelled?... They just studied that leather helmets are just as good as stopping impact than the modern helmets! Actually, a bit better! Really... Why don't they make the outside of the helmet soft to absorb some of the blow. True, modern helmets and masks stop a lot of the nasty cuts and broken noses.

 

Also... A poster made the reference to rugby how it is even more vicious than American football... Yet, they use minimum protection and have better results.

 

Why make more insulating equipment and encourage more violent and dangerous play?

Edited December 26, 2012 by ExiledInIllinois

[K-9]

What is interesting is one poster's take. Why are helmets hard shelled?... They just studied that leather helmets are just as good as stopping impact than the modern helmets! Actually, a bit better! Really... Why don't they make the outside of the helmet soft to absorb some of the blow. True, modern helmets and masks stop a lot of the nasty cuts and broken noses.

 

Also... A poster made the reference to rugby how it is even more vicious than American football... Yet, they use minimum protection and have better results.

 

Why make more insulating equipment and encourage more violent and dangerous play?

 

Back in the leather helmet days there were an inordinate amount of skull fractures and contusions. Players actually died playing the sport. Hard shells virtually eliminated those types of injuries.

 

I don't know about rugby being more vicious. But you raise a good point about how hard shell padding has contributed to more risks on the field. Hockey is also a good example of that as well.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[CodeMonkey]

What is interesting is one poster's take. Why are helmets hard shelled?... They just studied that leather helmets are just as good as stopping impact than the modern helmets! Actually, a bit better! Really... Why don't they make the outside of the helmet soft to absorb some of the blow. True, modern helmets and masks stop a lot of the nasty cuts and broken noses.

 

Also... A poster made the reference to rugby how it is even more vicious than American football... Yet, they use minimum protection and have better results.

 

Why make more insulating equipment and encourage more violent and dangerous play?

Because violent play is what makes NFL games popular.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Once again, and for the umpteenth time, there is not now nor will there ever be a helmet that will prevent concussions. Period. End of discussion. It simply can't be done. That said, the new technology that allows medical staff on the sidelines to determine in real time whether an impact threshold has been crossed, WILL mitigate damage simply because they will know right away to remove a player from the game. There is no getting your bell rung and returning to the game. I'm willing to bet that many serious concussions were the result of previously slightly concussed players returning to the game. GO BILLS!!!

 

100% correct. A concussion is a by product of the brain slapping the inside of the skull. No helmet can stop that.

 

Really? So humans can land on the moon, but they can't design a helmet to prevent head trauma? That somehow is against the laws of physics? The fact of the matter is that technology can reduce head trauma. PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION. Technology has a pretty high ceiling.

 

I'll have to agree with MarkKelso's Helmet on this one. After all, he is a helmet himself.

 

But seriously IMO it's not a black and white issue like K-9 and billsbum are making it. Did you guys read the entire article?

 

Using a floating membrane to reduce the force of some hits (that's what they're ultimately doing) can cause some of these hits to be less damaging. They can make some impacts that would otherwise be concussive to sub-concussive because the helmet moves rotationally and re-directs energy.

 

Put differently it looks like the technology being studied can help make some direct hits and turn them into glancing blows as far as the brain is concerned.

 

To add to the discussion, I've heard that the weight of the helmets is also an issue.

 

Football helmets are apparently very heavy and some believe that this is a factor also.

 

I remember a recent discussion of the effects of the new lighter combat helmets that the armed forces are using and how those improved protection with regard to injury-causing brain impacts.

Edited December 26, 2012 by San Jose Bills Fan

[Mr. WEO]

Aren't NFL players free to chose what helmet they wear?

[K-9]

I'll have to agree with MarkKelso's Helmet on this one. After all, he is a helmet himself.

 

But seriously IMO it's not a black and white issue like K-9 and billsbum are making it. Did you guys read the entire article?

 

Using a floating membrane to reduce the force of some hits (that's what they're ultimately doing) can cause some of these hits to be less damaging. They can make some impacts that would otherwise be concussive to sub-concussive because the helmet moves rotationally and re-directs energy.

 

Put differently it looks like the technology being studied can help make some direct hits and turn them into glancing blows as far as the brain is concerned.

 

To add to the discussion, I've heard that the weight of the helmets is also an issue.

 

Football helmets are apparently very heavy and some believe that this is a factor also.

 

I remember a recent discussion of the effects of the new lighter combat helmets that the armed forces are using and how those improved protection with regard to injury-causing brain impacts.

 

And none of that external mitigation does anything to prevent the brain from accelerating within the skull. Sooner or later the skull has to stop and it's nice that it can come to rest upon a nice soft membrane inside the helmet, but the brain is still accelerating at the same speed. Unfortunately, the inside of your skull doesn't have the same type of shock absorbing capability that the new and improved helmet has. There will be some improvement in mitigating linear acceleration injuries, but none in those as a result of rotational acceleration inside the skull.

 

It really is pretty much a black and white issue. Particularly where repeat concussions are concerned. Even in the world of modern technology.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited December 26, 2012 by K-9