Helmets do nothing to prevent sports concussions, and the quest for better equipment often backfires on players who think they’re protected and can play more dangerously, says a set of updated concussion guidelines led by researchers from the University of Calgary.
I think this is significant. Effectively, unless we start legislating some of the headshots, deliberate or not, out of the game, you're going to have resulting brain damage. To be fair, if a grown man knows the risks and decides to play anyway, that's on him, players just need to have all the information.
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Last edited by corporatejay; 03-11-2013 at 10:33 PM.
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I didnt read the entire article but the title is very misleading.
Helmet vs no helmet? a newspaper taped to your head will help prevent concussions when comparing it to not wearing one at all.
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Looks good? The short and sweet of it is that motorcycle helmets were designed for maximum impact, but motocross riders have been suffering many mild concussions due to the rigid nature of the helmet. I think this technology / design could translate to hockey very well? I'm no expert, but I thought it was interesting at least. (The video at the end is pretty cool)
Also a nice video here:
Last edited by calumniate; 03-12-2013 at 10:43 AM.
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Helmets do nothing to prevent sports concussions?? I'm not helmet expert, but I'm pretty sure that's a dirty lie.
I don't know how much they could reasonably do... They're designed to prevent skull fractures etc, how on earth could they prevent your brain from rattling around in your skull? Surely that's far more related to your body suddenly not traveling at 30k an hour and your brain not having the greatest set of inertial dampers?
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I should add that helmets probably do prevent concussions in milder impact collisions. Such as high sticks, slipping and hitting your head on the ice, things of this nature. High velocity impacts are probably going to cause concussions no matter what you're wearing on your head.
But I can't say for sure, I'm not a doctor.
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I was chasing a dman behind the net full speed and lost an edge, fell backwards into the boards making contact with my helmet first. I was unable to construct sentences for about a week. Without the helmet, im certain i would be dead.
The helmet may not be perfect protection but it is absolutely vital regardless of headshots. My situation, no one touched me. It was all my fault.
So lets not start beating the "legislate headshot" drum as its not the only culprit.
I was chasing a dman behind the net full speed and lost an edge, fell backwards into the boards making contact with my helmet first. I was unable to construct sentences for about a week. Without the helmet, im certain i would be dead.
The helmet may not be perfect protection but it is absolutely vital regardless of headshots. My situation, no one touched me. It was all my fault.
So lets not start beating the "legislate headshot" drum as its not the only culprit.
Now is that because you would have suffered a severe skull fracture, hemorrhage and possibly a spinal trauma? Or would you have been concussed to death?
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I think this is significant. Effectively, unless we start legislating some of the headshots, deliberate or not, out of the game, you're going to have resulting brain damage. To be fair, if a grown man knows the risks and decides to play anyway, that's on him, players just need to have all the information.
I think it is the same as arguing that air bags/seat belts put drivers in a dangerous situation by encouraging them to speed. If you have an accident while driving at high speed you will suffer huge damage regardless of the safety equipment installed in your car. The same works with helmets.
The helmet is there to minimize the force of impact. It helps prevent injuries from sticks, skates, and pucks that hit the head. It also decreases the severity of the concision.
I think enough media attention is devoted to the issue of concussions now a days to prevent players from reckless play just because they are wearing a helmet. Also the risk in certain plays is what deters many players from attempting them, which results in risky plays often ending in highlight reel plays. Those kinds of plays are the ones that lead to certain players being better than others and consequently higher paid.
Now is that because you would have suffered a severe skull fracture, hemorrhage and possibly a spinal trauma? Or would you have been concussed to death?
the point is that a helmet saved my life. In terms of concussion, i can only imagine how badly my brain would have hit the wall of my skull had i not been wearing a helmet. The helmet absorbed a considerable amount of the impact allowing me to ONLY have a severe concussion.
the point is that a helmet saved my life. In terms of concussion, i can only imagine how badly my brain would have hit the wall of my skull had i not been wearing a helmet. The helmet absorbed a considerable amount of the impact allowing me to ONLY have a severe concussion.
I don't doubt that for a second. Nobody said they weren't useful. The discussion revolves around them not doing much to prevent concussions.
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I was chasing a dman behind the net full speed and lost an edge, fell backwards into the boards making contact with my helmet first. I was unable to construct sentences for about a week. Without the helmet, im certain i would be dead.
The helmet may not be perfect protection but it is absolutely vital regardless of headshots. My situation, no one touched me. It was all my fault.
So lets not start beating the "legislate headshot" drum as its not the only culprit.
Similar story for me. I got tangled up a couple weeks ago, feet went out from under me and landed on the back of my head. I got back up, gave my head a shake and kept skating-no way that would be possible without a helmet.
Sure my situation may not have met their narrow definition of a concussion but there is no denying that it would have been a trip to the hospital without one-if not worse. Even if helmets are not as effective as they had hoped, this is a terrible title for the article.
As mentioned above, the helmet is designed to protect your coconut, the concussion is from your brain changing directions and hitting the inside of your skull. Helmets help a little.
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Helmet, like bumpers, are sacrificial packaging. They deform, that deformation requires energy, that energy comes from the impact. The sacrificial layer fails over a distance (part of its own thickness) that failure over a distance is also far better than an abrupt impact. A concussion is greatest when your brain rattles inside your skull.
Better to have the padding inside the helmet crushing, and your whole head sloshing inside it, BEFORE your brain sloshes across the fluid in your head into your skull.
Yeah, I'm afraid I won't be convinced either. In fairness I didn't read the article but the title is silly.
Last Saturday night I went flying and cracked the back of my head hard on the ice. Everyone one the ice and bench stopped for a second. I got up with no real ill effects but a slight headache for the rest of the night. It would have been quite serious had I not had a helmet on, of that I have absolutely no doubt.
I'm not saying a helmet can or ever will take concussions or any other serious head injuries out of the game completely but to say they do nothing is utterly ridiculous.
The title is a #######ized quote from the Simpsons. They obviously help against blunt for trauma. They do nothing for concussions.
If helmets are capable of absorbing impact, and they are, then they clearly do something for concussions.
You could argue that helmets don't do nearly enough to prevent concussions but to say they do nothing just looks like sensationalism and turns people off from the start.
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The helmets, they do nothing (for concussions)
