Experts: Concussion Proof Helmet Impossible to Produce

by John B on Jun 22, 2011 11:00 AM EDT

A group of sports science professors agrees that it is impossible to produce a helmet that completely eliminates the risk of concussions.

Helmets "certainly help to mitigate forces that are distributed by impact to the skull and the intracranial cavity and the brain," said Kevin Guskiewicz, a professor of sports science at North Carolina and an expert on football helmets. "But the brain is still going to move inside that cranial cavity regardless of whether there's a helmet on or not."

With improved soft materials inside its hard outer shell, a modern helmet can lessen the effect of a straight-ahead, "linear" impact, but can't do much to prevent the effects of the head rotating from the impact, Guskiewicz said Monday at the National Athletic Trainers' Association convention.

"They do dissipate some of the forces but not to the degree that's required or would be required to manage the energy for preventing concussions," he said.

It kind of feels like common sense. Safety measures no matter how advanced cannot eliminate every bit of risk.

This is why I think the league is right to crack down on headhunting. People's lives are at risk. Spare me about football being a physical game. There is a difference between hitting hard and carelessly putting others at risk.

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Comments

I agree that something needs to be done, but there needs to be a clear understanding of the rules.= by the players in the refs. Right now there isn’t.

Get busy winning or get busy losing.

by GangGreenMag on Jun 22, 2011 2:38 PM EDT reply actions

This article was actually published? Among the other breaking headlines; they’re officially unable to produce a car that won’t crash, kitchenware that won’t cut you or cavity proof toothpaste.

As far as “headhunting”, rules against spearing were already in place making this latest effort to feminize the sport completely unnecessary, and giving the officials even more power to alter the outcomes of games with uncontestable judgement calls. And make no mistake, the NFL could not possibly care less about player safety (these are the same guys fighting pensions and retirement benefits for disabled players, while they’re raking in not millions, but billions). Their interest is in point scorers running wild all over the field unmolested because that’s what sells more tickets and earns higher viewership. Which translates to what? Oh yeah, more money. They are raping the tradition and rich history of professional football to get just a little richer themselves.

By the way, if Goodell is so concerned about players sustaining head injuries, why aren’t they allowed to choose their own brand of helmet? That hypocrite isn’t interested in what’s safer or more comfortable for any given player, just what manufacturer offers the league more kickbacks and incentives… You’ll never see concussions eliminated from a collision sport. But you just might see defenders running around in skirts one day, wearing team makeup. Provided of course, those skirts bear a Reebok logo making them officially licensed NFL products.

by nationalist88 on Jun 22, 2011 4:36 PM EDT reply actions