Can helmet design reduce the risk of concussion in football?

Abstract

S portS-related concussions were once believed to only result in transient symptoms and neurocognitive impairment. However, recent research has suggested potential links between repetitive concussions and neurodegenerative processes in some athletes. 6,12,13 This work has led to increased awareness and media attention on the possible long-term effects of sports-related concussions. Of all sports, football accounts for the highest incidence of concussion in the US due to the large number of athletes participating and the nature of the sport. While there is general agreement among experts that concussion incidence can be reduced through rule changes and teaching proper tackling technique, there remains debate as to whether helmet design may also reduce the incidence of concussion. 4,11 This question is examined retrospectively by analyzing head impact exposure data collected from a population of collegiate football players equipped with 2 different helmet models. Of all sports, football accounts for the highest incidence of concussion in the US due to the large number of athletes participating and the nature of the sport. While there is general agreement that concussion incidence can be reduced through rule changes and teaching proper tackling technique, there remains debate as to whether helmet design may also reduce the incidence of concussion. A retrospective analysis was performed of head impact data collected from 1833 collegiate football players who were instrumented with helmet-mounted accelerometer arrays for games and practices. Data were collected between 2005 and 2010 from 8 collegiate football teams: Virginia Tech, University of North Carolina, University of Oklahoma, Dartmouth College, Brown University, University of Minnesota, Indiana University, and University of Illinois. Concussion rates were compared between players wearing Riddell VSR4 and Riddell Revolution helmets while controlling for the head impact exposure of each player. A total of 1,281,444 head impacts were recorded, from which 64 concussions were diagnosed. The relative risk of sustaining a concussion in a Revolution helmet compared with a VSR4 helmet was 46.1% (95% CI 28.1%-75.8%). When controlling for each player's exposure to head impact, a significant difference was found between concussion rates for players in VSR4 and Revolution helmets (c 2 = 4.68, p = 0.0305). This study illustrates that differences in the ability to reduce concussion risk exist between helmet models in football. Although helmet design may never prevent all concussions from occurring in football, evidence illustrates that it can reduce the incidence of this injury. Methods Study Population and Data Collection

Head-Impact–Measurement Devices: A Systematic Review

“…By understanding the injury mechanism, sports medicine professionals can make more informed decisions on improved equipment 46 and rule changes 91,92,[107][108][109] to reduce concussion incidence. 8 Biomechanical data have effectively improved player safety via protective equipment and rule changes.…”

Finite element modeling of human brain response to football helmet impacts

“…By using these models, the brain response during impact can be studied and used to determine the severity of applied load conditions and their effect on brain tissue. (Rowson et al 2014). The end result showed that one design type reduced the probability of concussion thereby validating the notion that there is connection between helmet design and mTBI (Rowson et al 2014).…”

Application of Auxetic Foam in Sports Helmets

“…Sahler and Greenwald [1] state that preventative measures against TBI most commonly take two forms: rule changes and innovations in impact protection in the form of helmets. Rowson et al [5] examined two American football helmet designs over the course of 1.28 million impacts in games and practice, and found that helmet choice could reduce the number of concussions athletes endure. The helmet modulates energy transferred to the head, and the amount of energy transferred can differ by design.…”

“…The helmet modulates energy transferred to the head, and the amount of energy transferred can differ by design. Helmet and head injury studies tend to explore the helmets' ability to reduce the risk of TBIs and mTBIs in sport [5][6][7].…”