Helmet Safety and Concussions in Football

From Athletic Business

Review by Kara Beckley in SRM 334

Our current event discussion comes from an article titled, Making Headlines, from the September 2012 issue of Athletic Business. The article emphasizes the importance of helmet safety and the high occurrence of concussions. Concussions in high school sports have increased by 15% annually. Some professional organizations have implemented new regulations to help decrease injuries, such as Pop Warner football banning head to head hits, and the NCAA and National Federation of State High School Association requiring players to sit out the next play if they lose their helmet on the field during a game. The article also discusses advancements in technologies for helmets such as Force Cap Technology’s air-filled sack inside of a hockey helmet to exist as protectors during hits.

This article, written by Michael Popke, has a clear and decisive theme: to develop helmets for a safer athletic playing environment. It starts by reviewing the rules that have been put in place from the effect of concussion increases. Developing technologies assist the body of the article to flow with information that convinces the reader there are enough new precautions we can take to produce safer helmets. The conclusion is well written; focusing that the start of realizing there are flaws in helmets lies within an organization. Emphasis on the Youth Football Helmet Replacement Partnership’s pilot program wraps up the article in great detail to relay the message of safety concerns. Sports media and the article of helmet safety are relevant in a few ways. First, helmet safety and the rising concussion concern would not be spread if it weren’t for the media. They help to inform the public of the issues at hand. Second, if the media shows concern about the topic, it will seem important. Lastly, media can portray helmet safety in a way to persuade the need for future changes. 

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Review by Danny Barto in SRM 334

There is no question that one of the main concerns for NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, is the topic of helmet safety and concussions. The focus on helmet safety is not just at the professional level, but also at the youth, high school, collegiate, and semi-professional football leagues. Helmets play the most important role in the battle against concussions and their devastating effects on the brain. These effects can sometimes be immediate, such as short-term memory loss, or there can be long-term effects such as dementia. It’s not just football that parents and coaches are concerned about. Athletes that play soccer, lacrosse, or hockey are all just as vulnerable during play than any other sport involving contact. The topic of concussion safety is a very serious subject with the NFL, the media, as well as parents and the youth. 

Many parents and players believe that if you are wearing a helmet you are automatically safe from head injury. These views are far from the truth according to Inez Tenebaum, chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Tenebaum stated that, “it is vital that parents, coaches, and players understand that there is no such thing as a concussion-proof helmet.” He goes on to say that the best answer is, “safer and smarter play.” This explains the rule changes that have been implemented at almost all levels of football. These changes that have occurred have prohibited headfirst tackles and result in stiffer penalties for violent hits in hockey and football. There have been many innovations in helmet manufacturing and design since the focus shifted to concussion prevention. The article explains that old helmets are designed to prevent structural injuries such as a broken nose or jaw, but a concussion is a functional injury that affects memory and motor skills while leaving the player disoriented after the impact.

The media has played a big role in informing parents, coaches, and athletes about the dangers of certain sports and how to play these sports safely so that concussions can be minimized. ESPN has done multiple documentaries on the health effects that a concussion has on the player immediately as well as the long-term effects. It seems that many stories in the news concerning sports is about player safety and how to prevent serious head injuries. The media along with the major sports leagues like the NFL and NHL have the biggest impact on how safe the game is played.

This article was extremely informative how concussions are being prevented by the use of new technologies and safer play. The sports media has done a great job lately at getting the word out about helmet safety and new rules and regulations being implemented in all types of sports leagues. Companies are developing new technologies that will make the game safer for our kids to play in the future, but like Inez Tenebaum stated in the article, “the best answer is safer and smarter play.”