BICYCLE HELMET
RESEARCH
FOUNDATION

cyclehelmets.org


Home page

Main topics
News Headlines

Frequently asked Questions
For Policy Makers

Research evidence
Misleading claims
Helmet laws
Analysis

Search Engine

Australia
Canada
New Zealand
UK
USA
Other countries

Full index
Links


BHRF
Policy statement

News

Injury concerns rise as football helmets questionned

According to  a feed from the New York Times, there are growing concerns about US football helmet standards and the amount of protection the helmets provide. Since football helmets became widely used, skull fractures have greatly declined, but concussions and brain injuries are on the increase. This is partly because the size and speed of players has increased and there are now more than 100,000 concussions per season.

Although many people believe otherwise, the current standard for football helmets does not address concussions or rotational injuries and has not changed in over 30 years. Some manufacturers have claimed that their helmets reduce concussion risk by 31%, but there are no independent tests to show this and they are now coming fire for over-selling the benefits. Some manufacturers believe their job is just to meet current standards, not to go beyond.

Most children playing football wear second-hand helmets and there are concerns that many of these have serious limitations and are not always properly re-checked when passed on to new wearers.

Wed 20 Oct 2010

See also