Scrap helmets and pads, improve safety and technique (2 Viewers)

[AceTW]

some of those 'ballerinas' in the youtube vids I posted are the toughest athletes to grace a football field and are encouraged to iron out others legally with encouragement from the governing body, what happened to our saints is considered ludicrous and absurd in the sport they play

Well, some of those guys are the toughest athletes to grace a rugby field. American football is decidedly a different sport, and I'm not at all shocked to learn that rugby players look upon this 'incident' as ludicrous. I spent a part of my youth as a rugby fan, having met and hung out with a couple of teams that were playing out at the LSU parade grounds, had to be in 1973-74. I was very young but big into sports and wanted to learn how to play. I remember being told that rugby was much tougher and harder than American football because there was no padding and everything hurt. That didn't bother me so much, but what did was seeing the cleat slashes on legs, the broken tibias, dislocated elbows, and in one case an egg above one guy's eye that threatened to burst open at any second.

I know that the game of rugby is accepted as the norm in other parts of the world, but here American football is the norm and people are doing their best to keep it that way. (Not keep rugby out, but keep football, football.... You know?) We don't want to see it change. We don't want to see it turned into rugby.
There's rugby after all, who needs two copies of the same game?

 

[Sitch]

Brain Injury-related Fatalities in American Football, 1945-1999
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Brain injuries have been the most common direct cause of death among American football players since the annual recording of football-related deaths began in 1931. This study examines the 55-year experience with brain injury-related fatalities in American football from 1945 to 1999, including not only the incidence but also the cause of death in discrete 5-year spans to focus on the variables that have either increased or decreased fatalities. In addition, we describe the types of injuries that have occurred, the activities in which the players were engaged at the time of injury, the level of play involved, and whether the injuries occurred during games or in practice sessions.

METHODS: Data were collected nationwide regarding football fatalities in all organized football programs in public schools and in college, professional, and youth programs by conducting personal interviews and eliciting responses to questionnaires. The information collected included demographic data about the injured player, equipment data, injury type and body part involved, and pertinent information regarding the exact circumstances of the accident.

RESULTS: We found that a total of 497 brain injury-related fatalities occurred among American football players during the period from 1945 through 1999. The causes of death were brain injuries in 69% of the cases, cervical spine injuries in 16%, and other injuries in 15%. Subdural hematoma was the type of injury associated with the majority (429, 86%) of brain injury-related fatalities. A majority (61%) of the brain injury-related fatalities occurred during participation in football games, and 75% of these were high school players. It should be noted that the number of high school football players is far greater (more than 1 million) than the number of either college (approximately 75,000) or professional (approximately 2000) players. The most frequent on-field activity involved when players sustained their fatal injuries was either tackling or being tackled (35%).

CONCLUSION: Brain injury-related fatalities accounted for 69% of all football fatalities from 1945 through 1999. The greatest number and percentage of brain injury-related fatalities occurred during the 5-year span from 1965 through 1969, and the smallest number and percentage occurred during the 2 decades from 1975 through 1994. Most brain injury-related fatalities involved a subdural hematoma sustained by high school football players while either tackling or being tackled in a game. In the 2 decades from 1975 through 1994, there was a dramatic reduction in these fatalities, and the preventive measures that have received most of the credit are 1) the 1976 rule change that prohibits initial contact with the head and face when blocking and tackling and 2) the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment helmet standard, which went into effect in colleges in 1978 and in high schools in 1980.


Cervical Spine Injury, Hockey Helmets, and Face Masks
Paul D. Reynen, MD
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Sports Medicine Institute, and the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Clinic, Birmingham, Alabama
William G. Clancy, Jr., MD
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Sports Medicine Institute, and the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Clinic, Birmingham, Alabama
Abstract

Over the past 30 years hockey players began wearing helmets and face masks. Cervical spine injury, with an incidence of 15 cases per year, began to be re ported in the 1980s. Cervical spine trauma had not been reported before then. After review of the litera ture, there seems to be a consensus of opinion that the style of play that is allowed a player with head protection may actually increase the chances of cervi cal spinal trauma.

Br J Sports Med 2005;39:314-318 doi:10.1136/bjsm.2005.018200
Review
Preventing head and neck injury
A S McIntosh1, P McCrory2
+ Author Affiliations

1School of Safety Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
2University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Correspondence to:
 Dr McIntosh
 University of New South Wales, School of Safety Science, Sydney 2052, Australia; a.mcintosh@unsw.edu.au
Accepted 1 March 2005
Abstract
A wide range of head and neck injury risks are present in sport, including catastrophic injury. The literature since 1980 on prevention of head and neck injury in sport was reviewed, focusing on catastrophic and brain injury and identifying the range of injury prevention methods in use. There have been few formal evaluations of injury prevention methods. Approaches that are considered, or have been proven, to be successful in preventing injury include: modification of the baseball; implementation of helmet standards in ice hockey and American football and increased wearing rates; use of full faceguards in ice hockey; changes in rules associated with body contact; implementation of rules to reduce the impact forces in rugby scrums. Helmets and other devices have been shown to reduce the risk of severe head and facial injury, but current designs appear to make little difference to rates of concussion. Research methods involving epidemiological, medical, and human factors are required in combination with biomechanical and technological approaches to reduce further injury risks in sport.



Analysis of Cerebral Concussion Frequency With the Most Commonly Used Models of Football Helmets
Eric D. Zemper, PhD
Eric D. Zemper is President at Exercise Research Associates of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97440.
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Abstract
Data on helmet models used and occurrence of cerebral concussions over five seasons were collected from a representative sample of college football teams including a total of 8,312 player-seasons and 618,596 athlete-exposures to the possibility of being injured in a game or practice. Results showed that players with a history of concussion any time during the previous 5 years were six times as likely to suffer a new concussion as those with no previous history. In light of previous studies showing cognitive deficits for up to 30 days following even minor head injuries, and the growing awareness of “second impact” fatalities, these data support a need for reconsideration of the common practice of immediate return to play following non-loss-of-consciousness head injuries. Results on concussion frequency in ten models of football helmets indicated a significantly lower than expected frequency in the Riddell M155 and a significantly higher frequency in the Bike Air Power. All other models performed within expectations. This study demonstrates the need for monitoring on-the-field performance of football helmets through continuing epidemiological studies to supplement laboratory test data, which cannot duplicate all the factors involved in actual helmet performance.

Incidence of Injury in Junior and Senior Rugby League Players
Author: Tim J. Gabbett
Source: Sports Medicine, Volume 34, Number 12, 2004 , pp. 849-859(11)
Publisher: Adis International


Abstract:
Rugby league is an international collision sport played at junior, amateur, semi-professional and professional levels. Due to the high numbers of physical collisions and tackles, musculoskeletal injuries are common. A large percentage of injuries result in long-term employment and study limitations, medical costs and loss of income. Review articles addressing the applied physiology of rugby league and common rugby league injuries have been published. However, both of these review articles have focused on the professional rugby league player. This review addresses the extent of the injury problem in rugby league in all levels of competition (i.e. junior, amateur, semi-professional and professional).
The incidence of rugby league injuries typically increases as the playing level is increased. The majority of studies have shown that the head and neck is the most common site of match injuries in senior rugby league players, while knee injuries are the most common site of injury in junior rugby league players. Muscular injuries are the most common type of injury sustained by senior rugby league players, while junior rugby league players more commonly sustain fractures. Injuries are most commonly sustained in tackles, by the tackled player. Thigh and calf strains are the most common injuries sustained during rugby league training, while overexertion is the most common cause of training injuries. Player fatigue may influence the incidence of injury, with most sub-elite (amateur and semi-professional) rugby league injuries occurring in the second half of matches or the latter stages of training sessions. The majority of training injuries occur in the early stages of the season, while match injuries occur in the latter stages of the season, suggesting that changes in training and playing intensity may influence the incidence of injury in rugby league.
Injury prevention studies are required to reduce the incidence, severity and cost of rugby league injuries. These injury prevention strategies could include coaching on defensive skills, correct tackling technique, correct falling technique and methods to minimise the absorption of impact forces in tackles. Game-specific attacking and defensive drills practised before and during fatigue may also encourage players to make appropriate decisions under fatigued conditions and apply learnt skills during the pressure of competitive matches. Further studies investigating risk factors for injury in junior and senior rugby league players, injuries sustained by specific playing positions and the influence of injuries on playing performance are warranted.

Br J Sports Med 2001;35:167-169 doi:10.1136/bjsm.35.3.167
Original article
Effectiveness of headgear in a pilot study of under 15 rugby union football
A S McIntosh1, P McCrory2

Abstract
Objective—To determine whether protective headgear reduced the incidence of concussion in a pilot study of under 15 rugby union.

Methods—Sixteen under 15 rugby union teams were recruited from three interschool competitions in metropolitan Sydney and the adjacent country region. A prospective study was undertaken over a single competitive season. The study had two arms: a headgear arm and a control arm. Headgear wearing rates and injury data were reported to the investigators and verified using spot checks.

Results—A total of 294 players participated in the study. There were 1179 player exposures with headgear and 357 without headgear. In the study time frame, there were nine incidences of concussion; seven of the players involved wore headgear and two did not. There was no significant difference between concussion rates between the two study arms.

Conclusions—Although there is some controversy about the desirability of wearing protective headgear in football, this pilot study strongly suggests that current headgear does not provide significant protection against concussion in rugby union at a junior level.


There are a few to get us started....

 

[Sitch]

Ace, I understand that.....and I am in no way saying that changing football in a major way is necessary, but something should be tried in the way of equipment usage, I like the game the way it is but it could be better, and I may have glorified rugby but it has it's injury pitfalls too, abrasions and cuts are managed as best as possible these days with blood bin rules and also protective strapping tape. we get similar injuries and head trauma is being looked into greater to introduce new rules on concussion here but I hear very little about guys committing suicide because of brain injury or suffering severe long term effects from playing rugby league or rugby union, certainly the frontal lobe damage and subsequent ill effects of head trauma will be felt but the soul and essence of american football will remain, just without some of the protective gear from a period of time in the game's history

 

[SharonT]

1. "Us"? If you're here with an agenda, at least be honest about it. (Australia IP) Did you really do all that "research" in those few minutes between posts?

2. Correlation does not imply causation.

3. My late husband had a hole/scar in his leg - down into the bone - where some guy's tooth had been left. During a rugby match. (He grew up in Australia - and played through the University level.) Maybe a helmet would have prevented that?

 

[Sitch]

Widge, the difference with much more dangerous professions is that they must have occupational health and safety standards, for many years in sports this was very much neglected

 

[St. Widge]

You do realize that the study above contradicts you claim since it found that the most deaths from brain injuries occurred in the years 1964 to 1969, when there would have been fewer pads and less sophisticated helmets? There were fewer brain injury related deaths as the pad technology got better.

 

[St. Widge]

Widge, the difference with much more dangerous professions is that they must have occupational health and safety standards, for many years in sports this was very much neglected

OSHA and ANSI both apply to the NFL so your argument is invalid. And, the issue isn't what was true in the past, it is what is true in the present and your own study shows that it is safer now.

 

[Sitch]

ok 1. I am here with an agenda only on this issue, not against the Saints as I am a keen supporter and 2. On that post regarding the studies, I am not only presenting studies here on my side of the argument, that would be stupid of me, there are 3 or more sides to every opinion, and I am clearly only one of those

 

[St. Widge]

ok 1. I am here with an agenda only on this issue, not against the Saints as I am a keen supporter and 2. On that post regarding the studies, I am not only presenting studies here on my side of the argument, that would be stupid of me, there are 3 or more sides to every opinion, and I am clearly only one of those

One that you have just disproved with the study you cited.

 

[Sitch]

Widge, it's only my opinion, I could be completely wrong and that is why i started this discussion. You also have only really highlighted one of the studies presented, there are others there suggesting their evidence may show cause to negate the perceived positives of helmets

 

[Sitch]

the articles I presented are a very small portion of what is out there also so you cannot draw a conclusion based off of one study which is now 12 years old. You cannot prove anything correct as they say only prove that it is less incorrect than another hypothesis

 

[Sitch]

oh and the 'research' is quite shallow as I just copied and pasted with quick reading the abstracts, google scholaring articles is a quick process, analysing original research is a completely different matter entirely

 

[St. Widge]

Widge, it's only my opinion, I could be completely wrong and that is why i started this discussion. You also have only really highlighted one of the studies presented, there are others there suggesting their evidence may show cause to negate the perceived positives of helmets

Then post them.

 

[St. Widge]

oh and the 'research' is quite shallow as I just copied and pasted with quick reading the abstracts, google scholaring articles is a quick process, analysing original research is a completely different matter entirely

I understand that, but the one that you chose to post actually totally contradicts your position.

And, none of that changes the fact that you haven't shown anything that proves the change in equipment would change how the players play. Moreover, it's a fairly dangerous job to play in the NFL, but they are well paid for it and it's not like it's even close to the most dangerous job in the world.

Certainly, we should always be looking to improve safety for the non-professionals, but unless there is clear evidence that pads and helmets do more harm than good, there is no reason to make that change now. Plus, the truth is there are lots of things that are not as safe as possible, but we accept risk in life. I mean, they could make car seats out of rubber and mold them to your body. Then you could put roll cages in all passenger cars and it would make them much safer, but we don't do that because we accept some risk in life. It is up to the individual if they want to take that risk and they have to deal with the consequences of those decisions. They have to decide if the reward is greater than the risk.

 

[Sitch]

great post AndyG......

Conclusions—Although there is some controversy about the desirability of wearing protective headgear in football, this pilot study strongly suggests that current headgear does not provide significant protection against concussion in rugby union at a junior level.
..................... Helmets and other devices have been shown to reduce the risk of severe head and facial injury, but current designs appear to make little difference to rates of concussion.

the quotes are copied from my previous post on the studies I looked up