Redesigning the Football Helmet
Head to head contact is a very serious matter. Kids, adults, and everyone in between are getting hurt in football due to the hard hits they take either in practice or games. The goal is to make football safer but people are still getting hurt and even killed. There are new helmets coming out every year but still not eliminating the problem.
Injuries caused from head contact need to be eliminated. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries are a very high percentage of the injuries that high school athletes sustain every year. Football is the most common sport for traumatic brain injury with 29.1% of the injuries being treated and released at the emergency room. The percent that is admitted to the emergency room is 24.7% for these brain injuries from playing football. ("Concussion Statistics for High School Sports", Lindsey Barton Straus, JD. There is a concussion test on ("Heads up on Concussion" where you can learn how to spot the signs of a concussion. This is helpful for parents to know if their child may be suffering from a concussion or not. The motto is "when in doubt, sit them out". It is better to play
…show more content…
This is one of the biggest advancements in helmet technology or one of the worst ones. In one perspective they provided more padding and protection for the football player. On the other hand it gave the players the ability to use it as a weapon on the field and gave them the confidence to hit other players with their head, where before they were scared to use their head. Once players found out they could use their heads they began to use it more often and in some instances these hits left players unconscious and concussed. Concussions are a bad deal in any sport and if a player is concussed and doesn 't say anything and gets another one it can lead to permanent or long term brain damage or in the most severe cases even
football players often make dynamic and explosive movements causing strain on the muscles. Football is generally a rough sport despite all the helmets, pads, braces and supports. All of this can lead to injuries to many parts of the body including Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries, Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries, hamstring strain, hip pointer, shoulder dislocation and Acromioclavicular joint injuries. One of the most common injuries in high school football is a concussion. Players don’t realize just how crucial concussions are.
Furthermore, the regulatory gear the players have to wear has been improved over the years. When football first started the only protection on their heads was a wool stocking cap(NFL,1). This helmet provided very little protection. Another significant factor from when football first began is that the players were not as big and strong and the games were most likely just played for fun and not for competition. Now players have helmets made of hard plastic with padding.
Concussions have always been a problem in contact sports. Unfortunately, high school football is no exception. In fact, high school football is the worst of all contact sports when dealing with concussions. According to “Sports Concussion Statistics,” 47% of all reported sports concussions occur during high school football. This is an alarming statistic that has caused companies like Riddell to search for a solution.
The newest football helmet on the market is the riddell axiom. It is designed not repell what is hitting it, but to absorb it. Keeping your brain from not moving as much in your skull. They are also making rule changes to protect football players aswell.
Concussions are high on the rise and make athletes very vulnerable and prone to them. Among male athletes, sports resulting in the most concussions include football, ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and soccer. For female athletes, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball were recorded for the sports that resulted in the most concussions. Youth athletes who have suffered one concussion, onset greater chances of experiencing more.
Carson Simpson Mrs. Gallos English 3 Honors 24 April 2017 Concussions in Football Although football is a very popular sport, changes need to be made. There is a lot of research and data showing head injuries in football and how they hurt the players. The NFL tries to just sweep these cases away because they know it would hurt the popularity and economical support of the sport. Head injuries and concussions are the most popular injuries in football because of the fact that they are one of the most dangerous injuries a player could have.
When student athletes participate in contact sports, they run the risk of getting a concussion. A concussion, according to The American Academy of Neurology, is defined as "A trauma induced alteration in mental statues that may or may not result in loss of consciousness". Short term effects could cause a change in mood, along with headaches and nausea; whereas long term effects of a concussion can range from drastic behavioral changes and mood disturbances to cognitive difficulties. These symptoms are very prevalent in student athletes that may get a concussion and can only get worse when one has been re-concussed. I believe that student athletes should be required to sit out for a longer period of time following the events of a concussion.
This unprofessional and dangerous form of bringing down someone is highly likely to create a helmet to helmet to collision, resulting in concussions. Programs such as “Heads Up Football” were created with the idealistic purpose to show the players how to properly tackle. The NFL commissioner is behind this program due to the fact that he believes, by affecting the learning process in the football, little leagues, this will impact the future of the NFL. Strictly because the foundation of football is now being taught on how accurately and precisely perform a tackle. With the abundance of head injuries that players are unfortunately suffering with, the NFL is trying to change the game so that it can be a safer zone for the players.
Head Injuries In American Football Since the beginning of American football, concussions have been a big problem with players in high school, college, and the National Football League. Concussions have led to the end of many players football careers and in some cases, their lives. People that are in college and the NFL continue, playing even though they are risking their lives just for a little fame. Today football players play the game to make money and just because of their love for the sport.
Concussions in Sports In sports, concussions occur frequently across all age groups. From little leagues to high school sports to the professional leagues, concussions pose a high risk of long term Traumatic brain injuries. Because of the high rate of concussions in sports more attention should be paid to protocols and treatment to prevent traumatic brain injuries. High school athletes that partake in a sport that requires intense physical activity are the most vulnerable to concussion and need more time to recover. According to the Head Case “High school football accounts for 47 percent of all reported sports concussions, with 33 percent of concussions occurring during practice.”
The point of a football helmet is to prevent any type of head injury, mainly concussions. Throughout the years of making new helmets to protect the brain, the percentage of concussions have decreased 20% or more each year. A football helmet consists of a hard plastic shell with thick padding in the inside, a facemask, and a chin strap. The first use of football headgear dates back to 1869 when George started to use straps and earpieces to protect his ears but there were no facemasks on it. It wasn’t until 1939 when the first plastic helmet became available.
Although some may argue that these programs have many positive effects such as instilling confidence and pride in young adults, these sources all address the common issue of concussions and permanent youth brain damage. Football, is known to be one of the most contact sports. Players tackle one another to defend their touchdown zone and to try and steal the ball. There are many moments where players collide and hit their heads against each other or the ground. Though the players might not realize it, they possibly had a concussion.
Second nearly 25% of people who get concussions are not given medical assistance. Lastly sports injuries are the most common way of getting a concussion. (Sources Paul Hornung Sues the Helmet Maker Riddell Over Concussionshttp://mrshatzi.com/files/paul-hornung-sues.pdf Belson July 7th 2016) Another reason competitive sports are not good for you is because you can get injured not just from concussions but serious
"By the time they get to high school, kids have a 5% chance of sustaining a concussion for each season they play" (Zimmerman). If they choose to keep playing football then they will eventually end up with a brain concussion or brain damage. Over the years 65-80% of head injuries go unnoticed ("Stopping the..."58). Football player ignore the fact that it is just a headache. Hospitals took 150,000 in 2001 to 250,000 in 2009 dramatically increased because of concussions ("Injuries in...").
“The impact damages the brain. It interferes with the way the brain functions, causing problems like headaches and memory loss.” Kids football has been a controversial issue because kids can damage their brain when playing football. Kids shouldn’t be able to play football because it injures the kid’s brain, and some of the helmets don’t protect the kid’s heads. To begin with, kids shouldn’t be able to play football because it injures the kid’s brain.