Helmet's versus Concussions?

[MapleLeaf]

I seem to remember an olineman with the 49ers had something similar to this back in the 90's. The only reason I remember was because it kept flying off so much to the point where Steve Young got mad and flung it back @ the lineman.

...the product is called "Pro Cap"

If properly affixed it never comes off.

If Young actually did that, got mad that is, real impressive and mature response I would say.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Most of the neck/spinal injures/scares Ive seen over the last season have been from someone taking a knee to the head or improper tackling. Rather than fine players for good hits, the league should concentrate on reteaching proper form tackling.

...best solution.

I can't speak about removing the fines, but I do suggest form tackling camps even for pro players.

Especially our Cowboys who have displayed these problems over the last two years.

In seriousness, better technique is the way to go. Football is a violent sport and the rules are being pushed to its limits.

It wouldn't hurt to work on the backside of these rules and enforce technique rather than punishment.

 

[MapleLeaf]

I agree. I think the league should look at any equipment that can help of lessen the chance of a head injury

...the players would be the greatest resistance to this.

 

[Doomsday101]

It would seem the solution would be to reduce the g-forces the brain endures as the head comes to an abrupt stop. I assume that's the idea behind the revolution; air slows the head therefore allowing the brain to slow it's movement. Perhaps if there were more air/better technology, we could see a drastic reduction in these type injures. Most of the neck/spinal injures/scares Ive seen over the last season have been from someone taking a knee to the head or improper tackling. Rather than fine players for good hits, the league should concentrate on reteaching proper form tackling.

I hope they can find way of reducing head injuries I doubt they will be able to completely prevent them but anything that can help I'm for it.

 

[Doomsday101]

...the players would be the greatest resistance to this.

True but then the league could make it manadatory. NASCAR makes all drivers wear the HANS device at one time it was up to the driver now you don't have the choice.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Eventually it's going to get bad enough that the league is going to be forced to pay somebody to make a helmet that disperses the force in such a way that concussions are less likely, and then they will have to mandate that players wear them.

Athletes are not getting slower or smaller, and now that medical science actually catches this stuff instead of saying "Hey you got your bell rung, now shake it off and get back in there" it's only going to become more of an issue.

Guys like Troy Aikman and Steve Young will be lucky if they live past 60, and if they do, they'll be lucky if they're not vegetables by then from all the brain trauma they endured.

 

[tupperware]

I actually just thought of something. It's a helmet and at the bottom of it are attached powerful springs.

http://img716.*************/img716/9463/helmsprings.jpg

The bottom of the springs are attached to a cloth type fastener that wraps comfortably around your shoulders/arms. The springs wouldn't affect you looking up down left or right, but if you directly impacted someone, the springs would take a lot of the force. I think this would help with spinal injuries. Dunno probably dumb or gimmicky but it was a thought I had. Who even knows if it would work properly.

 

[joseephuss]

Eventually it's going to get bad enough that the league is going to be forced to pay somebody to make a helmet that disperses the force in such a way that concussions are less likely, and then they will have to mandate that players wear them.

Athletes are not getting slower or smaller, and now that medical science actually catches this stuff instead of saying "Hey you got your bell rung, now shake it off and get back in there" it's only going to become more of an issue.

Guys like Troy Aikman and Steve Young will be lucky if they live past 60, and if they do, they'll be lucky if they're not vegetables by then from all the brain trauma they endured.

Young's going to be lucky to live just under 11 more years?

I think you are correct. It will become more of an issue because they are taking it more seriously as they should. No matter what improvements they make in helmets and other equipment or in teaching better tackling concussions will still be a part of the game. It is a collision sport. Somethings just cannot be avoided, but is good to strive to reduce the number of concussions.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

I actually just thought of something. It's a helmet and at the bottom of it are attached powerful springs.

http://img716.*************/img716/9463/helmsprings.jpg

The bottom of the springs are attached to a cloth type fastener that wraps comfortably around your shoulders/arms. The springs wouldn't affect you looking up down left or right, but if you directly impacted someone, the springs would take a lot of the force. I think this would help with spinal injuries. Dunno probably dumb or gimmicky but it was a thought I had. Who even knows if it would work properly.

If nothing else, it makes it look like the players are all orthodox jews with those little curly tails hanging down both sides. :laugh2:

 

[jswalker1981]

Yeah, I remember when I used to play in high school, every time I put my helmet on, I thought it was going to rip my ears off. Pros take it off like it's a ball cap. Also, how many just have two snaps on their chin straps? We had four, two on each side. There are a lot of players that just have two straps, and those that have four sometimes only use two. Another thing to think of is that some QBs don't use mouthpieces. If there is a better helmet out there, than the NFL needs to mandate it. I can't believe that players would be that against it. "Hmm, there is something out there that can stop me from getting concussions and will help prevent long term brain damage?" Why would you say no? You don't like how it looks?

 

[jswalker1981]

I actually just thought of something. It's a helmet and at the bottom of it are attached powerful springs.

http://img716.*************/img716/9463/helmsprings.jpg

The bottom of the springs are attached to a cloth type fastener that wraps comfortably around your shoulders/arms. The springs wouldn't affect you looking up down left or right, but if you directly impacted someone, the springs would take a lot of the force. I think this would help with spinal injuries. Dunno probably dumb or gimmicky but it was a thought I had. Who even knows if it would work properly.

What about the neck guards that some players (mostly LBs) wear?

 

[tupperware]

What about the neck guards that some players (mostly LBs) wear?

Dunno, I haven't put tons of thought into this, it was just an idea that I drew up a quick diagram for.

 

[joseephuss]

What about the neck guards that some players (mostly LBs) wear?

Those neck guards look like they would prevent you from keeping your head up in my opinion.

Sterling Sharp used to wear a strap that attached to the top of his helmet and ran down the back of the helmet attached to his pads. It was meant to keep his head up and prevent him from ducking his head.

 

[danielofthesaints]

Dunno, I haven't put tons of thought into this, it was just an idea that I drew up a quick diagram for.

I like where you mind's at with this, but honestly this would pose an even greater problem. At the right angle of impact, I agree with you that it would absorb some of the pressure. Keeping in mind the logistics of this contraption being able to look left right up and down, most hits come from the sides or the front of the helmet. This would force your head to lean towards your shoulder left or right or back. If you restrict movement to your neck with this contraption, the skull itself would absorb more impact because its lack of lateral motion or backwards motion. Rather than having a large amount of concussions, now the talk is about subdural hematomas being misdiagnosed as a concussion which could prove fatal.

 

[Doomsday101]

I like where you mind's at with this, but honestly this would pose an even greater problem. At the right angle of impact, I agree with you that it would absorb some of the pressure. Keeping in mind the logistics of this contraption being able to look left right up and down, most hits come from the sides or the front of the helmet. This would force your head to lean towards your shoulder left or right or back. If you restrict movement to your neck with this contraption, the skull itself would absorb more impact because its lack of lateral motion or backwards motion. Rather than having a large amount of concussions, now the talk is about subdural hematomas being misdiagnosed as a concussion which could prove fatal.

Seem most concussion are not the hit themselves but the head bouncing off the turf.

 

[danielofthesaints]

Seem most concussion are not the hit themselves but the head bouncing off the turf.

and most concussions are, but those are mild concussions. the types the league are trying to crack down on are the helmet-to-helmet ones. let me know when roger goodell fines the turf manager $10k for a caused concussion. :laugh2:

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Those neck guards look like they would prevent you from keeping your head up in my opinion.

Sterling Sharp used to wear a strap that attached to the top of his helmet and ran down the back of the helmet attached to his pads. It was meant to keep his head up and prevent him from ducking his head.

Kinda ironic that his career ended with a neck injury.

Seem most concussion are not the hit themselves but the head bouncing off the turf.

Yeah good point, the fields should also be absorbing some of the shock, not only the helmets.

 

[cowboyeric8]

When I was in high school for the first 3 years I wore an older Riddell, and I suffered a concussion, and there were other times I would see black and get a little dizzy.

My senior year I broke my jaw, so I changed to the Revolution because it protects the jawline a little more than the others. I didn't have any head problems that year.

Just food for thought.