Boxing: One Blow from a Permanent KO

In several crucial ways, boxing is the most dangerous sport (although some argue against it being a sport). Guys are swinging with heavy gloves, at incredible velocities, making contact with critical body parts constantly. Broken ribs and other bones to serious facial damage are all common. It is obvious to see that brain damage and concussions are hardly a rarity. What is interesting to look at is just how close these boxers come to causing a permanent KO.


The Force:
The boxers punch is powerful, fast and padded. Anyone including myself who has felt a punch to the body or face knows that it is painful to say the least. Boxers are able to throw punches as fast as 30 feet per second or more and can land 20 plus punches in a matter of seconds. When looking at the factors of momentum, force, impulse and kinetic energy it is easy to see how much power these punches can muster up. This can be explained without needing to know all these terms. You combine these aspects in calculating force (mass times acceleration) and the blow can be some 1000 pounds of punching force. To put into perspective for you, this force could crush through doors, some walls and planks of wood. It shouldn't be hard to see from this that one of these punches directly hitting the face could easily break multiple bones, dislodge the brain and cause such an internal "shaking" of the brain the boxer would be dead. The question is why is the boxer not dead?


Just Enough:
The reason that boxers are not dying all over the place is because the results mentioned above are skewed. In other words they are missing a crucial point. These calculations are found from impact on a still sturdy object. A boxer NEVER gets hit cleanly and fully from one of these blows. The average boxer can see a punch coming and react to it in less than a couple tenths of a second. The reaction is similar to time to blink an eye. The boxer moves so little that people cannot really see it. The centimeters of movement the boxer makes between seeing the punch and it making contact saves their lives. This movement decreases the force an incredible amount. Obviously, the more movement the less force. Even in knockout blows, there is simply a very large force and a very small movement of the defending boxer. There is some however and although the knockout and damages can be bad, it prevented his permanent KO. Another crucial step to help reduce these punches forces is adding a slimy substance to the boxers face and body. When a punch connects, this material allows the punch to slide off somewhat and reduce the force dramatically. In the end it comes down to constant head blows that become more of a threat than a single blow. Many do not understand just how close a boxer is (less than 5 centimeters) from never opening his eyes again.



http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sports+science+boxing&sm=3
    

Hockey: Fighting It's Good for the Game

Hockey is a sport all on its own in many ways. It is a sport I would have loved to play if given the chance. It is such a minor sport in my hometown that not only did I not have an opportunity, but I didn't even have a chance to practice the most important part of hockey, SKATING. The reason why I would have loved to try hockey is the same reason it is being discussed in this article. It is a physical, rough and tough game. From smashing guys into the walls to being allowed to fight, this sport has its word cut out for it.

SMASH, CRASH and BLAST
If you ever watch a hockey game, plenty of contact occurs. They are covered all over in large, heavy padding to protect from all the different dangers. The most common contact that occurs is players smashing into each other against the wall when going for the puck. It is very common and a legal part of the game. This provides huge entertainment along with making the sport more elite to participate in. The other part of the game that many fans love.... the fights.

Fighting: Rules for it
It goes without question that a fight or two will occur at some point in a game. How does this happen without anyone stopping it? The rules allow that if two players get into a conflict where no other players interfere and the two involved players stay on their feet that it can be continued until settled. Many possible reasons remain as to why these rules are like this. For one, because of the padding and difficulty of fighting while standing on ice makes the punches generally much weaker. In general it is believed that these rules allow for fights without escalations or any extremely dangerous situations for the players.

Controversy
There are many who argue that fighting should not be allowed for several reasons. The dangers are too high, the violence is unnecessary for the game and it shows poor sportsmanship and player conduct. These are all reasons that fighting in hockey is continually looked at and questioned whether it should remain. The question in the end is will the game change if fighting was removed?

Why Fighting is Good:
Fighting is not just an act to gain fans and revenue for the sake of maximizing profits. Fighting has been around in hockey since the beginning. It allows for players to protect others. The biggest reason, in my opinion, that fighting is necessary is because of protecting the players. The best players in the league also pose the biggest threat to other teams. These players could be taken out in games constantly so the opposing team would increase their chances to win. Why does this not happen? Because the teammates of that star player protect him. The other team knows that in trying to take a shot on the star would invoke a spree of fights by every other player on the team against him. Since fighting is allowed, they would not hesitate to start one with him and needless to say he would be getting his you know what kicked for the entire game. This rule protects players more than people realize. Being an enemy to a team can be quite dangerous for himself and is always something players have to consider before taking a shot on someone.

Guest Post, By Spenser Field

In Gronk We Trust, Just Not His Forearm

As a born and bred Patriots fan, when it comes to injuries, the first thing that pops into my head is the majestic creature that is Rob Gronkowski. Playing the position of tight end, Rob has found himself on various injury reports within the past year. Everyone seems to be aware of his multiple forearm surgeries, but in June he added back surgery to his list of operations and injuries that could keep him from playing as well as we all know he can. Most recently, he has added hamstring to his list of injuries.

For all the ladies of New England, this meant that we would not be seeing our go-to eye candy on the field. To start the NFL season, Gronkowski missed six games, and to everyone’s surprise, the injury keeping him from the field wasn’t related to his June 18^th back surgery. The herniated disk surgery recovery would have wrapped up around Week 1. Clearly something more was keeping him out of the lineup.

Unfortunately, Gronkowski’s left forearm is the main issue in his play at this point. There has been some discussion that Gronk’s camp is concerned that the ongoing injury is a result of how Patriots team doctor, Thomas Gill, handled the initial surgery. The initial break happened almost a year ago, on Nov. 18, when the Patriots played the Colts. Instead of letting the bone heal naturally, Gronk and Gill made a joint decision to “speed” up the process by implanting a device in the forearm. Really worked out for you guys, huh???

Because of an infection that had developed after Gronk had rebroken the bone in January, his forearm has been operated on four times in the last ten months. Now, I don’t have a Ph.D, and I am no professional, but since Gronk’s last operation happened about five months ago, I WOULD THINK that it would have healed by now…but here I stand…having only watched Gronk play three times. It is hard to watch Gronk play at this point without flinching every time he hits the ground. With the amount of injuries Gronk has under his belt growing, it is hard to watch him without sending up a little prayer that he gets up and doesn’t start limping.

            Thankfully, Gronk has been playing recently, and Patriots fans hope that he stays strong. The Patriots have a bye week this week before returning to the field to take on the Panthers in Week 11. Me? I hope to see plenty of completions from Brady to Gronk, but seeing him on the field is good enough for me.

Baseball: More than Meets the Eye

When I am talking about contact sports few would consider baseball to be included. In general I would agree. Although the sport goes through its fair share of injuries, primarily non-contact, there are a couple of places where contact occurs. Sliding into a base and taking a player's leg out, runner trying to smash through the catcher at home so he drops the ball, are both instances that happen frequently, but they are not why I am writing this post

.
Eye On the Ball:

The point of baseball that provides the most danger is the baseball.Those who are most susceptible to its fury are batters and..... pitchers. That is right, I said pitchers. Many would assume catchers or even runners on the base, but the frequency and danger to runners are fairly low, nothing more than some nasty bruises. Even catchers, who take the most hits, are so well protected that only occasional instances occur where any real damage is done. The batter is an obvious choice. They are up at the plate on average some 3 times a game and take an average of 5 pitches each time, each being anywhere from 70-100 mph. Multiply this times the number of games in a season and you have a whole lot of chances for something to go wrong. Hope they have quick reflexes. The pitcher is the one that may come as a surprise. People know they are in contact with the ball more than anyone on the field, but they are ones delivering it. The issue is when the ball is coming back at them.

Protecting the Money Maker:

The batter is obviously protected well with a keen eye to dodge at least enough to allow the ball to hit a less severe spot of the body. He also has a hard shell helmet with significant soft padding inside to soften any blow to the head. Add this with some pads around the body to commonly hit spots and, for the most part, serious injuries are avoided. The pitcher is a whole other story. He has no real padding or protection and any used may throw off his pitch. What happens when the ball is hit? The force that it returns to the field with off of a hard swung bat is much greater than anything the pitcher delivers. Sure the probability seems small for the pitcher to get hit considering all the space around him and the exact area the batter must hit the ball at to put it in that direction, but with as many balls as a pitcher throws these odds aren't so unlikely anymore.


From time of contact on the bat, to the time it takes the ball to reach the pitcher, compared to the pitchers time to not only see the ball, but move out of its path is less than 2 SECONDS. In other words, he better be lightning quick. Often now we are seeing pitcher's take brutal blows to the back, legs and other parts. They break bones and cause many other injuries. These are nothing compared to what can also happen. That ball making contact with the pitchers face or head is deadly any time. It only takes one, making it one of the most severe hits in ANY SPORT. This blow can cause concussions, fractures in the head/neck area and worse. The pitcher has only so long to realize it.

Keeping the Pitcher on his Mound: 


What protects the head? Helmets. A pitcher cannot wear a helmet though without completely throwing off his game. The issue, how to protect without changing. What is on the head? Cap. This is what they have to work with and that is what they have changed. Currently companies are making baseball caps with a strong fiber lining that is flexible, yet strong. While a blow to the head would still be dangerous, this padding could provide some serious deterring of force to the head. Currently pitchers are beginning to experiment with the hats. Although they notice the change (mainly because it is tighter on the head) it does not seem to be too significant. Further studies are needed, but it looks like a minor yet crucial change that may be occurring.

Follow up post: Hockey: Fighting, it's Good for the Game
Boxing: How is this still around?!

Targeting Foul: A Necessary Evil?

The rule

For the safety of football players on both sides of the ball a rule has been put into effect at all levels of football that is believed by league officials to be a crucial step towards reducing serious injuries, namely in the head and neck area. This is known as the targeting rule. Any player caught leading with the head ('crown' of the helmet) or aiming for the head/neck of another player, especially a defenseless (no way for the person to protect themselves because of being unaware or occupied) one, is to be ejected from the game and may miss part of the next game. The National Football League (NFL), gives a hefty fine to players as well.

Goal of the rule

The leagues hope with a rule like this put into play it will discourage players from making dangerous hits. The overall goal is to provide the players more protection. Players that lead with the crown of the helmet are more likely to gain head trauma and more likely, serious neck injuries. Even if these players lead with the shoulder, if it is at an opponent's head/neck area it also can cause serious injury to that player. The impact is severe and dangerous. The league wants to get players back to proper form and safe technique. This means hits with the shoulder at the opponent's chest and below. This is considered a proper form tackle or hit.


Issues and Complaints

The biggest concern with this rule, which is also my biggest concern, is how the implementation of this rule will work. Obviously the season is well under way and the rule has reared its head many a time. Each ref will have a different view point and perspective on what they deem an illegal hit. The other problem as many have noticed is that it is proving to be an extreme restriction on players. Of course all refs are leaning towards the safe side, meaning they are more willing to call the penalty. Players are not able to make good, hard, clean hits either anymore.

Let me explain, whether a good hit or an illegal hit, the majority of the time the instant effect or repercussion of the hit a massive hit that everyone and their grandmother sees, hears and winces at it. The player being hit is blasted backwards and falls to the ground hard. Let's just say he does not get up with any urgency. The ref instantly wants to reach for his flag since they look the same and the result looks gruesome. The difference is the clean hit is perfectly legal and does not cause the serious injuries the negative hit does. Many a time they cannot tell the difference and throw the flag on a good hit. I have seen countless examples of players making great hits and being reprimanded for them.

Correcting Mistakes

The best adpatation since the implementation of the rule is that not only can the penalty be reviewed during the game by the referees, it is also looked at the following week by a group whose sole purpose is to analyze these hits. Fines, and suspensions can end up being overturned thanks to this. But the issue is still seen time and time again when a player comes in and makes a crucial big hit and is penalized costing him potentially the rest the game.


Follow up post:
Baseball: More than meets the eye    

Treatment: A choice or a Must

Benefits

Not all injuries require surgery and extreme medical techniques in order to recover. After any injury has occurred, the athlete usually goes to some form of sports related physical therapist, i.e., a trainer. The benefits of going are not only the access to free treatment, but having a person specialized in this criteria there to help you. The biggest benefit: Identifying injuries, knowing how to prevent injuries and enhance recovery and most all information on your injury. The treatment options range from ice or heat, to stem (explained later) and laser therapy. The wide range of options can work towards any injury.

What They Do and What Works

The reality is some of these techniques are still skeptical. Ice and heat (in heat packs) are the oldest forms of treatment and of course help in reducing swelling, loosening muscles as well as all around recovery. These are the most basic and often used materials.

Stem is another often used technique. It basically massages deeply in patterns the injured area. This is also a more reliable technique.
The laser therapy is one of the more skeptical methods. It is suppose to be a laser that shoots through your skin and speeds up the cells that assist in recovery of an injury. The facts say it works, but no definite proof is shown. I personally do not think it does much at all. The method is still questionable although used  nearly everywhere. In the end it just depends on the injury and a question of just how much the treatment can help.

Laser therapy

When to go

Obviously after suffering a rather serious injury, immediately following days you will be going, but how long after? You can either go until your trainer says otherwise or until you feel completely healed. It is necessary to make sure not to stop before it is healed. I would recommend always stopping by after the first couple workouts on the injury as a caution. Even the smaller injuries should not be ignored. If anything this is where the treatment may help most, eliminating the small ones and keeping them from escalating, while simply managing the more serious ones. I do not go for every bump and bruise, but I am a frequent visitor when anything remotely painful occurs. I usually stick to ice and some stem. I would rather play it safe. 

Go or No

So all that seems to be decided now is whether or not you should go to the trainers and when. When you ask yourself "Should I skip it today", you have to think if it will slow your recovery and just how helpful you think it is. Sometimes I would go two times a day or more for a serious injury, while others I would go just after practice. The fact is that some options are available there that can seriously help, but sometimes it really just may be a waste of time. You have to decide which it is in your own case.

Personal Experience

Although it is not one of the injuries that I have previously discussed (mainly because it is not one of the more common and it happens in all sports, not just contact ones) , I want you to understand that I have been through a similar situation so that it might better assist you if it happens to you. I have gotten concussions, a broken bone and your average sprains, but nothing compares to what happened my senior year.

I had never missed a game coming into my senior year of high school. I was feeling strong, proud and ready for a big year. The opening game of the season I was off to a great start with over 100 yards rushing and already scored twice. Near the end of the first half I broke away for another long touchdown. As I went into the end zone I let up and got hit by a helmet going directly into my ankle. The excitement from the run managed to block out some of the pain, but I still limped off the field. To this point I assumed it was simply a bruise or sprain at worst. I couldn't play the rest of the game and limped home. That night was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my life. I could not sleep, and could not move. All i felt was a thrashing pain in my ankle that did not cease. I would have to take pain meds for the next 2 weeks, just to manage.

I was a stubborn player none-the-less and did not do anything but ice my ankle and limp around. When I say limp I actually mean stepping and my foot would give out. I could not practice the first couple days and when my coaches saw my limp they insisted on me going to the doctors. This was not going to happen. I got a special tape job, and practiced that last day and suited up for the game. Come game day they put me in and at first glance, I hid my limp well. The first time I needed to make a cut it was obvious. I was pulled from the game and sat out. The next week I would not play. I went to the doctors to find out I had torn ligaments in my ankle and a strained/slight tear in my Achilles. Surgery was not a necessity, but my senior year would be all but over. News like that was difficult to handle. It smashes down on you like a ton of bricks. I sat out a few more weeks before starting to practice and work the limp out, refusing to let it be over. In the end my limp was gone as long as  it was taped and I was able to play the final game of the season. It wasn't the same, as was I not the same.

An injury like that can hit you so hard mentally as well as physically. I was lucky to get back on the field at all. Those who suffer a serious injury must face not only rehab of the body, but sometimes more importantly, rehab of the mind. The emotional and mental strength that a player must build to overcome the scared mentality of re-injury is a struggle unlike any other. Getting out on to the field/court and actually not holding back on that body part is possibly the most difficult step in recovery. To this I say, go as slow as you must, but know that at some point you will have to break through that mental block.  

MCL, ACL, PCL: Painful Acronyms and a Look into Knee Injuries.

THE KNEE. If there is one thing that nearly all athletes in contact sports fear it is an injury to this body part. Sometimes out for weeks, other times for months. It all depends on which part of the knee you hurt. Luckily, I cannot explain from experience, but I have many a friend that have had to deal with these injuries. Obviously the knee has many muscles, ligaments and other fragile parts, but the three I will look at are the most common knee injuries to ATHLETES.

ACL: One slip away

The ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament and its general location is in the back of the knee. This is perhaps the most dangerous of the knee injuries. A tear to this ligament almost always means surgery if you wish to continue playing sports. If this injury occurs you are out for anywhere between 4-6 months, even longer if you are a slow healer. The rehab is brutal and the pain obscure. This can happen anytime when your leg locks and gets hit or you try to make a cut while it is locked. The injury is simply. The surgery is NOT. It can differ between all people. Generally some method of pulling together the two sides of the ligament and even taking some muscle from another part of the body to put in between is common. This allows the muscle to grow together. I have seen many players go down in pain instantly upon feeling the tear. The sad thing is you usually know right when it happens. The positive, so do medical professors. An MRI is used to confirm this always.

PCL: Short but crucial

  

The PCL stands for posterior cruciate ligament and it is found on the outside of the knee near the main vein. This injury is sustained similarly to the ACL one but more often occurs from hits to the side of the knee. The injury is just as painful and it is not so easy to identify. The injury is obscure enough in feeling that you must get an MRI. The benefits are that it rarely requires surgery and you can return to action in as little as 3 WEEKS! (generally 4). The way to treat it is therapy and simply letting it heal on its own. The muscle is able to grow and attach itself again. During this process you will limp and need to stay off of the leg but even light running is possible a couple weeks in. The trick with this injury is not to come back too soon. As long as you give enough time you will come back with no issues.

MCL: Usually more then meets the eye

The MCL stands for medial collateral ligament and is located below the femur. In other words it is just inside the front of the knee (next to the kneecap). This injury is sustained from direct blows to the knee cap especially when from the outside coming in. This injury rarely occurs from nonphysical activity (cutting and such). The SCARIEST thing about the MCL is that it very often comes in a package. What that means is that when this is injured it is usually accompanied by another part of the knee sustaining injury. The ACL, PCL, meniscus or many other parts are all possible companions. The main reason for this is because the kind of hit the knee takes and in order for the knee to open up to the extent it does (that causes the MCL tear) some other ligament must have given in also. The good news is that if the MCL is the only part to get injured it almost always means it is not serious. This means that you have a slight tear. The knee will swell slightly and, if really minor, an athlete will be out only 1-2 weeks! Even a more serious tear results in 3-4 weeks of no contact. The knee will feel like it is going to buckle. Rehabilitation is necessary to eliminate that. A severe injury (full tear) can take up to 10 weeks. Like the PCL the other good note is that it does not require surgery. Even when completely torn!

The fact is that all these injuries thanks to recent medical developments are no longer long term, permanent or career ending issues. Knee braces and "sleeves" are common to wear after these injuries and provide with the recovery and the ability to go out and play again.

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/kneeinjuries/a/mclinjury.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001074.htm 

Kickoffs: Running them right out of the game.

The growing concern for serious injuries in the game of football has led to more than just trying to improve and change all those things which affect it (equipment, safety awareness and medical advancements). It has begun to change the game itself.

From rule changes to referee adjustments nothing so far has presented itself as a more drastic change to football then the elimination of kickoffs. This is what occurs at the beginning of a game and after every score. Kickoffs are currently being reviewed and given more and more consideration to being taken out. The alternative is to simply start a side with the ball at a certain yard line. Just in the past few years the rules have changed to making the players kick further up so that it is more likely to go for a touch-back (no return occurs due to a dead ball and the ball is placed on the 20). The change has only momentarily subdued the controversy which has risen over this part of the game.

The reason that kickoffs are being so heavily scrutinized is because it is where so many of the injuries take place. One team is streaming down the field full speed smashing anyone in the way. The other side is basically standing there just to get in the way. Although these players don't just get in the way. Some peel back across and blind side unaware players. The hardest hits on average come during these plays. And more importantly they are happening to many more players than just one or two (as on a big hit on offense or defense).

The multitude of blind side hits and block backs are so high during this part of the game and these are the most dangerous of any hits. A blind side is a reference to when a player is unsuspectingly hit from the side by someone of the opposite team. The players are usually unaware it is coming and the impact is extreme. Those in charge of football at all levels are seriously considering eliminating this part of the game so they can reduce the amount of serious injuries and the probability of these injuries occurring immensely. This is still met with large amounts of opposition because of what a crucial part of the game it is.

My Take:
I myself do not want to see them go because they are one of my favorite special teams positions. It is a part of a game where either side can change the outcome. It is starting to seem more and more inevitable that kickoffs will eventually be removed from the game. When? No one is quite sure. The more important question is if it does happen, then it will be one more step towards the end of football all together. Once one serious contact sport falls, it can only be assumed that others may follow.

Posts coming soon:  MCL, ACL, PCL: Painful Acronyms and a Look into Knee Injuries.  

CTE: What it means to ALL Athletes

This may be one of the most specific, and most important posts on this site to any person that has some relationship to contact sports. For the purpose of the blog I will not get too technical, or in depth in most of the aspects so as not to bore or confuse all of you reading, but to give a general description and answer the primary questions. There are links if you want to see more about this issue and you can always post a comment asking a question.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, otherwise known as CTE, is growing drastically in concern for all athletes in contact sports. The simplest description of CTE would be, a degenerative brain disease.

Specifically, it is the brain tissue degenerating and a build up of tau protein. How is this connected to athletes? This disease has been shown to primarily be in athletes who sustain constant blows to the head. So sports such as boxing, wrestling, hockey and probably the most likely, football along with any other contact sports are the most common areas in which athletes could get this disease.

Too little Too Late:
The biggest issues are that it cannot really be tested for or found (let alone treated) until the autopsy. Yes, I said autopsy. In other words....when the athlete is dead. The degenerative traits are not presentable in medical scans. The disease also does not really give an indicator that it is there. As far as medical studies have gone there are no apparent symptoms. Ones that are connected to CTE seem to be forms of dementia including memory loss and depression. The issue is these symptoms are connected to many other diseases or psychological problems as well.

Why is this not an issue to all people? Studies have shown that the disease comes from constant hits to the head and concussions (minor or major). In general it seems that those with a limited number of head blows (most people sustain one or no serious concussions in a life span) would not experience this disease.The scary issue for athletes (including myself) is that it is not like a concussion where the effects are immediate, and although dangerous, can be monitored and eventually you return to normal. This disease progresses over years and only worsens without indication until it is severe. I worry about this every time I take a blow to the head in a game or practice.

Over the years the newest find that is of concern is that it was originally found to have serious impact on former athletes that were well into their later years. Recently there have been multiple athletes diagnosed as young as early 30's and late 20's. These players committed suicide and showed the symptoms. This is posing a serious threat to athletes and the future of these sports because of the fact that athletes will become less and less inclined to risk the chance of getting this disease. Especially at younger ages where kids are beginning these contact sports earlier only increasing the chances of getting this disease.

The thing I assume you all are wondering about now is prevention. The reality is there is none. Not at least if you want to continue these sports. As a player, myself, I am taking the risk and face the worries myself.

My personal advice would be to avoid head contact as much as possible, including using good techniques, fundamentals and awareness that has been taught to you. If you have a concussion you really must be smart about protecting yourself since that is the leading issue to CTE. This disease is a terrifying and growing concern that everyone is having to look out for so contact sports do not become too great a risk.

http://www.bu.edu/cste/about/what-is-cte/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_traumatic_encephalopathy
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/8867972/ucla-study-finds-signs-cte-living-former-nfl-players-first-time


Posts coming soon: Kickoffs: Running them right out of the game.
MCL, ACL, PCL: Painful Acronyms and a Look into Knee Injuries.
         

  

Head Strong: Current changes in the Helmet.

Following up from last week's post about the dangers that come with contact sports, I will try to shed some light on one piece of gear that is undergoing the biggest changes of any. You will recall that the equipment of contact sports is continuing to evolve and advance to try and keep pace with the increase of injuries and their severity. Probably the most rapidly advancing and most studied piece of equipment is the helmet. All helmets, whether baseball, hockey, lacrosse or any other sport, are being analyzed to try and protect better. Currently the most studied helmet is the football helmet. Why is this equipment gaining the most attention? Simple, it protects the most important part of humans (the head/brain). Injury to this part of the body is nearly always the most dangerous. Even beyond helmets, sports like baseball are finding ways to protect the head through padded baseball caps (see link) (possible follow up post on this). You may further ask why football helmets get the most attention. Due to the higher likelihood of contact to the head, the more severe force that contacts the head and the growing dangers to these players, these helmets are being put to the test the most. When looking at the big picture, however, advancement in one will probably carry over to the other.The main goal is to protect players of all sports from concussions and other head (possibly neck) injuries. This has become even more of an issue as the question of keeping these sports around due to their dangers has arisen more often. These sports draw in so much revenue that it is no surprise that so much money is going into development of better gear, so as to protect the sports.

The helmet has advanced over the years from leather shells at the beginning, to simple hard plastic shells on to the more recent polycarbonate and padding combinations to line the head. One of the most looked at pieces of helmets is the padding inside the hard shell. This not only has to fit reasonably to the player but must provide cushion for the blow as well as stability to resist it. The padding must resist constant minimal blows as well as massive sudden ones. On top of that, the padding needs to not wear down over months of use. Constant research is being done on different materials that may be used inside these helmets. Several different foams and pads are currently being used and studied such as urethane or thermoplastic for shock absorbency. The other aspect is not just the padding but the design. Currently helical rows of these paddings lined with foam/air filled sacs are the most popular in stability and comfort. The idea is like a stress ball that you can give small or large force and it breaks the immediate impact as well as cushions on the further impact. Keeping the head from jolting is also an improvement in these helmets.

Other companies are taking another approach to protection. Schools such as Virginia Tech are utilizing helmets with several hundred sensors that provide readings of any jerks or blows that may be dangerous. The testing as well that is done on all helmets is extreme and in depth to make sure they are suitable. Research is ongoing in trying to find better materials to protect players and the advancements that have been given so far are a crucial step, however some serious advancements are still needed to stop the talk of getting rid of these contact sports.     

Follow up blog: CTE: what it means to all athletes who sustain head trauma

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/27/sports/football/27helmets.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Padded baseball caps http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8755180/pitchers-try-mlb-examined-padded-caps   

Protection: Play it Safe

Football primarily and several other contact sports are currently under constant analysis for the sustained hits that players are taking. While there are always going to be sprains, broken bones and minor tears, it's the life altering injuries that are taking precedence. Serious tears and injuries to the knees (acl and mcl), ankles (achilles) and, first and foremost the head/neck (concussions) area, are what really is troubling about the contact sport. The critical tears that constantly plague athletes cripple them to surgery and often to the point of not being able to ever move the same. The most frightening of injuries is any near the head or neck. We have seen players become nearly or partially paralyzed, lose consciousness, and even die to these traumatizing injuries. The constant blows to the areas above the shoulder are cause for serious concern. Even further now are studies showing long term dangers to players who spend a life taking malicious hits to the head. The growing finds of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) the degenerative brain disease is the fastest growing concern. Even players that make it through the dangerous career are not safe when they hang the pads up. The dangers to the brain are ever growing and the life of the athlete is becoming more valuable and further in danger.

What is to stop the continued escalation of these injuries and even the possible dismissal of these sports from the entertainment world. Create stricter rules for protecting? Accidents (or targeting) will still happen. Medical advances to fix or fight the problems? Why not prevent them, and who knows how effective any of those things will be? One aspect that seems to be attempting to advance as fast as these injuries are progressing is protection. Companies are rapidly investing in studies and research teams to find new and better protective equipment for these players. Just because surgeries are becoming more efficient and recovery techniques more effective, does not mean that these injuries are becoming less dangerous. That is why equipment, such as braces, are advancing rapidly. Padding and protective gear are changing constantly. Most importantly the helmet is under constant revisions and additions. Companies are investing more and more into advancing head gear that will protect players better from the vicious hits. If we are able to gain enough ground in protective measures, and start to taper off the dangerous injuries, the future of contact sports may not be as dim as it seems.

Follow up post: Head Strong: Current changes and progressions in the Helmet.

Other Posts coming soon: CTE: what it means to all athletes who sustain head trauma

Kickoffs: Running them right out of the game