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Padded helmets: Why isn't every player required to wear one?

Elwood von Kiowa said:
I'd like to see a controlled test comparing head injuries (or just impact forces) with these configurations:

1. Normal hard plastic helmets and the currently trendy small shoulder pads

2. Soft padded helmets and small shoulder pads

3. Normal hard plastic helmets and "real" shoulder pads (like we wore in the '70s through the '90s)

4. Soft padded helmets and big shoulder pads.

One problem is that helmets have gotten bigger and bigger, in an attempt to provide more cushion against impacts. But between that and the "Nike" trend of smaller shoulder pads, now there's practically no surface area for the shoulder pads to make contact without helmet contact. You're basically experiencing head contact on every tackle. Most of us learned to tackle with our head in front of the ball carrier, but with the shoulder pads taking the brunt of the impact.
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Yeah that is what I was taught and taught. The shoulder makes most of the contact. It changed when I was in college .
 
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Until Geep figures some things out, they probably would have no effect on protecting our backfield from 3-down sacks and TFLs every possession.
 
Roy Cantrall said:
The jury is out on them being of any value. One study says they have no effect on brain injuries for high school players
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WestTexasHusker said:
Yeah I read that. It's really hard to believe that a helmet with that extra outer protection didn't cut concussion rates.
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NorthwoodHusker said:
Its the whiplash motion which these particular helmets barely effect.
They are working on helmets that twist when strapped, as well as cushion impact
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Jury is definitely out on their effectiveness. As Northwood noted, a lot of concussions/concussive forces don't even require direct contact to the head. The brain is floating in fluid and so it is the sloshing effect that causes the brain to hit the skull, causing a concussion. Helmets are mainly there to prevent injuries to the outside of your head, not the inside.
 
Cornhuskers7 said:
Jury is definitely out on their effectiveness. As Northwood noted, a lot of concussions/concussive forces don't even require direct contact to the head. The brain is floating in fluid and so it is the sloshing effect that causes the brain to hit the skull, causing a concussion. Helmets are mainly there to prevent injuries to the outside of your head, not the inside.
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There needs to be a lot more emphasis put on mouthguards. It should be a requirement that all players wear them (and an automatic 15 yard penalty if they don't), but they need to require that they use the type that boxers use with top and bottom protection. It's a simple solution that can slightly reduce the risk of concussion.
 
Cornhuskers7 said:
Jury is definitely out on their effectiveness. As Northwood noted, a lot of concussions/concussive forces don't even require direct contact to the head. The brain is floating in fluid and so it is the sloshing effect that causes the brain to hit the skull, causing a concussion. Helmets are mainly there to prevent injuries to the outside of your head, not the inside.
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The other thing that gets overlooked (in my uneducated observation) is that the helmet and shoulder pads "should" work together as a system to protect the head. My dad taught me to "bull my neck" when going into contact, i.e. suck my neck down so the helmet would nest into the shoulder pads and prevent that whiplash motion. Then you had the neck rolls that aided that effect (especially for guys who didn't follow that practice).

But today's helmets and shoulder pads aren't designed to interact like that. Hence you get guys looking like literal pencil-neck bobbleheads, with their brains bouncing around.
 
Elwood von Kiowa said:
The other thing that gets overlooked (in my uneducated observation) is that the helmet and shoulder pads "should" work together as a system to protect the head. My dad taught me to "bull my neck" when going into contact, i.e. suck my neck down so the helmet would nest into the shoulder pads and prevent that whiplash motion. Then you had the neck rolls that aided that effect (especially for guys who didn't follow that practice).

But today's helmets and shoulder pads aren't designed to interact like that. Hence you get guys looking like literal pencil-neck bobbleheads, with their brains bouncing around.
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I'd agree, I would only question if interconnecting those would inhibit vision. I also think there is a case to be made that helmets/pads, make all of this worse, because players a more inclined to treat their bodies like a weapon defensively and welcome contact more offensively.

The only way to avoid concussions completely is to move away from the game being a contact sport. Flag football's popularity has increased, but it has a long way to go with competing against tackle football.
 
Cornhuskers7 said:
Jury is definitely out on their effectiveness. As Northwood noted, a lot of concussions/concussive forces don't even require direct contact to the head. The brain is floating in fluid and so it is the sloshing effect that causes the brain to hit the skull, causing a concussion. Helmets are mainly there to prevent injuries to the outside of your head, not the inside.
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They've been experimenting with a helmet within a helmet, like a cap with rubber like extensions going out to the hard cap of the helmet so the hardcap floats somewhat on the inner cap.
This allows for the helmet to spin, contort somewhat on contact, reducing the whiplash effect.
 
NorthwoodHusker said:
They've been experimenting with a helmet within a helmet, like a cap with rubber like extensions going out to the hard cap of the helmet so the hardcap floats somewhat on the inner cap.
This allows for the helmet to spin, contort somewhat on contact, reducing the whiplash effect.
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There can definitely be improvements made. They've also got that thing guys where in the back of their neck which supposedly helps reduce brain movement. Ultimately, football is a bunch of high speed collisions and I don't think there is ever going to be a way to make that completely "safe". Glad that there have been advancements though to help keep the sport alive.
 
Cornhuskers7 said:
There can definitely be improvements made. They've also got that thing guys where in the back of their neck which supposedly helps reduce brain movement. Ultimately, football is a bunch of high speed collisions and I don't think there is ever going to be a way to make that completely "safe". Glad that there have been advancements though to help keep the sport alive.
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It's acceptable safe. The knockout is still the draw in boxing, yet boxers spar wearing headgear.
Wearing helmets in hockey, takes time to move whats acceptable.
 
new CFB helmet and uniform gear ....... ;)
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Right now ......
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LOL! Under NCAA football rules (Rule 1-4-4-d), mandatory knee pads must be covered by the player's pants, and both the pants and the knee pads must fully cover the knees. If a player is caught without proper knee coverage or mandatory pads, referees can force them to leave the field for at least one play

......... NEVER ENFORCED. Just the opposite targeting rule.
 
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