New Helmet enters the NFL

[Old School Fool]

Keep in mind those pics of players wearing it are from OTA's. They're probably just testing ideas right now and we won't know if someone is truly wearing that helmet until we get to Preseason.

[ShinyHubCaps]

Concussions occur when the brain hits the inside of the skull.  No helmet will ever protect you from that.  It occurs naturally at periods of sudden acceleration and deceleration, even if you have pillows on your head.  Although pillows would certainly affect your acceleration potential.

[BBTV]

22 minutes ago, ShinyHubCaps said:

Concussions occur when the brain hits the inside of the skull.  No helmet will ever protect you from that.  It occurs naturally at periods of sudden acceleration and deceleration, even if you have pillows on your head.  Although pillows would certainly affect your acceleration potential.

 

So basically "nothing can protect you, but things can protect you".

 

I don't see the logic in your post at all.  If the helmet slows the deceleration speed and reduces sudden stops, then it helps prevent the brain from slapping against the skull.  

[dont care]

2 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

 

So basically "nothing can protect you, but things can protect you".

 

I don't see the logic in your post at all.  If the helmet slows the deceleration speed and reduces sudden stops, then it helps prevent the brain from slapping against the skull.  

I think what he's saying is there is no way to completely fix the problem, but you can take precautions to minimize the amount of damage.  There is going to be damage regardless. 

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

8 hours ago, ShinyHubCaps said:

Concussions occur when the brain hits the inside of the skull.  No helmet will ever protect you from that.  It occurs naturally at periods of sudden acceleration and deceleration, even if you have pillows on your head.  Although pillows would certainly affect your acceleration potential.

 

This is correct.  Helmets can protect against skull fractures, but not against concussions or sub-concussive brain injury.

 

And that last bit is important because the research has shown that there is long-term harm resulting from the cumulative effects of brain injuries, even if no single one of these injuries rose to the level of a concussion.  

 

The bottom line is that football by its nature produces these injuries; therefore, the appropriate remedy is to change football's nature.  It is only rule changes, and not equipment, that can improve the rate and severity of football players' brain injuries.

[Cosmic]

11 hours ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

Helmets can protect against skull fractures, but not against concussions or sub-concussive brain injury.

 

No helmet will give 100% protection, but helmets absolutely can protect against concussions. It's about spreading the force of impact over a longer period of time.

 

Edit: I agree in that I don't think brain injuries are a problem that we can "invent our way out of", but hyperbole going in the negative direction just doesn't help.

[BBTV]

Maybe if the playing surface was "springy" like a wrestling ring then heads wouldn't bang so hard against the turf.  While we're at it, add ropes around the field so guys can spring off of them to stay in bounds and make plays. Oh, and start each game with a bell.

[andycumbee19]

1 hour ago, BringBackTheVet said:

Maybe if the playing surface was "springy" like a wrestling ring then heads wouldn't bang so hard against the turf.  While we're at it, add ropes around the field so guys can spring off of them to stay in bounds and make plays. Oh, and start each game with a bell.

This is outstanding. 

[dont care]

4 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

Maybe if the playing surface was "springy" like a wrestling ring then heads wouldn't bang so hard against the turf.  While we're at it, add ropes around the field so guys can spring off of them to stay in bounds and make plays. Oh, and start each game with a bell.

 

[guest23]

4 hours ago, Cosmic said:

No helmet will give 100% protection, but helmets absolutely can protect against concussions. It's about spreading the force of impact over a longer period of time.

 

Edit: I agree in that I don't think brain injuries are a problem that we can "invent our way out of", but hyperbole going in the negative direction just doesn't help.

 

The first statement is 100% false. You can try to distribute the energy of the impact all you want but you cannot stop the brain surrounded by fluid, to not hit the inside of a skull when intense blunt forces the head to either come to a complete halt or an immediate change of direction.

[flyersfan]

football will naturally come with concussions, but helmets can reduce the amount of non-concussion head injuries. Helmets are a necessity in the sport, so improving them as much as we can is also a must.

[Gothamite]

6 hours ago, Cosmic said:

No helmet will give 100% protection, but helmets absolutely can protect against concussions. It's about spreading the force of impact over a longer period of time.

 

Convussions are not the problem. When you hear anyone talk about concussion, you know they're trying to distract you from the real issue.  

 

The problem is the small sub-concussive hits that occur on every single down. Whenever a player colllides with another player or with the ground.  No helmet can prevent those, only rule changes.

 

The NFL would love for concussions to be the biggest problem. 

[Cosmic]

1 hour ago, guest23 said:

 

The first statement is 100% false. You can try to distribute the energy of the impact all you want but you cannot stop the brain surrounded by fluid, to not hit the inside of a skull when intense blunt forces the head to either come to a complete halt or an immediate change of direction.

 

21 minutes ago, Gothamite said:

 

Convussions are not the problem. When you hear anyone talk about concussion, you know they're trying to distract you from the real issue.  

 

The problem is the small sub-concussive hits that occur on every single down. Whenever a player colllides with another player or with the ground.  No helmet can prevent those, only rule changes.

 

The NFL would love for concussions to be the biggest problem. 

It's still a physics problem. If you had a choice, would you take the same force of an impact spread out over 1/10 of a second, or 10 minutes? That's hyperbole, but to prove a point. Spreading the impact over a longer period of time is better for the brain, whether it's a concussion or sub-concussion. Would the best helmet possible be perfect? No, but helmets can be better. It will probably take rules changes and better technology to make things sustainable. I don't dispute that, but it's ridiculous to say that the helmet isn't doing anything to stop brain injuries. I'll hit you in the head with a baseball bat... would you rather do it bare, or with a big pillow strapped to your head?

[ShinyHubCaps]

On 5/27/2017 at 0:32 PM, BringBackTheVet said:

 

So basically "nothing can protect you, but things can protect you".

 

I don't see the logic in your post at all.  If the helmet slows the deceleration speed and reduces sudden stops, then it helps prevent the brain from slapping against the skull.  

 

I believe nothing can protect you.  I just trailed off into the thought that, if you had pillows on your head, your acceleration would be slower due to wind resistance -- which I see now was kinda off-topic.  Playing the game slower is the only measure of safety that I can think would actually prevent concussions and sub-concussive hits if contact remains the same.

 

Helmets do nothing for acceleration/deceleration.  Regardless of what's on your head, if you're running full speed one direction and become stopped by an equal and opposite force running the other direction, your organs continue to move forward until they collide with something (like your skull).  Because they are suspended within your body, they move separately from your skin, muscles, and bones.

[ShinyHubCaps]

7 hours ago, Cosmic said:

I'll hit you in the head with a baseball bat... would you rather do it bare, or with a big pillow strapped to your head?

 

The hits to the head aren't the problem.  Yes, a helmet with crumple zones could direct impact away from your head.  However, most concussions occur when players collide with other players at speed, regardless of where they are hit, and also when players hit the turf.  It's about acceleration and deceleration of your organs, not direct impact of collisions.

 

I consent better helmets will reduce "getting your bell rung," but not concussions and sub-concussive hits.

[Cosmic]

5 minutes ago, ShinyHubCaps said:

 

  It's about acceleration and deceleration of your organs, not direct impact of collisions.

There is no difference between those two concepts.

[WavePunter]

A helmet that extends the time of deceleration during a hit by having more "give" like crumple zones, as well as one that is smoother and slicker to "redirect" rather than stop, can absolutely lower concussions and the effect of sub-concussive contact.. It won't eliminate them, but it can absolutely help in moving the right direction..

[ShinyHubCaps]

On 5/28/2017 at 10:54 PM, Cosmic said:

There is no difference between those two concepts.

 

Yes there is.

 

If you're running full speed one direction and get body tackled -- no helmet contact involved -- by someone running the other direction, you experience sudden deceleration, which can bruise your organs including your brain.  The same is true when you fall and land on the turf.  Even if your head does not hit, your organs experience mass deceleration which jostles them internally, often into your bones.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that there is a new, safer helmet as it will reduce injuries -- just not the concussions and sub-concussive hits that lead to CTE.  I think the fact this is even a news story is proof that the NFL is trying to appear safer -- a good first step, to be sure, but not nearly enough if they want to eliminate concussions from the game.

[Gothamite]

On 5/29/2017 at 6:33 PM, WavePunter said:

A helmet that extends the time of deceleration during a hit by having more "give" like crumple zones, as well as one that is smoother and slicker to "redirect" rather than stop, can absolutely lower concussions and the effect of sub-concussive contact.. It won't eliminate them, but it can absolutely help in moving the right direction..

 

I'll really need to see some evidence to support that claim. 

[ShinyHubCaps]

Here's a 2:00 video about the topic (concussions) -- helmets are mentioned around 1:51.