New football helmet technology aids in concussion reduction
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(ARA) - Every football season nearly 35,000 players are admitted to the hospital for head-related injuries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Thousands of other concussions will go undetected at the high school and college football level, often due to the desire for athletes to stay on the field, despite the warning signs.
Every football player, of course, wears a helmet, so why are so many football players at all levels at risk for traumatic brain injuries?
While helmet technology has evolved, traditional helmets often fail to protect athletes' brains from the repeated blows that happen on the field. Now an improved technology in a new helmet is better protecting athletes, so that the hits that sound so punishing from the stands, aren't as punishing to the athlete's head.
Xenith -- a company dedicated to health and safety in sports through innovation and education -- has developed a new football helmet called the X1. Unlike traditional helmets, it adapts to both a player's head size and the force of each hit through a unique technology called Adaptive Head Protection. The fit system allows for instant customization to the size and shape of a player's head, allowing the helmet to stay secure upon impact. Unlike traditional helmets, no inflation is needed.
The helmet features a suspension of adaptive air-filled shock absorbers, which allows it to adjust its compression to the magnitude and direction of each impact. The design reduces the sudden movement of the head on every hit, reducing the risk of brain injury.
"I've seen firsthand with former and current athletes the trauma that football can have on the head and brain," says Dr. Robert Cantu, clinical professor of neurosurgery at Boston University Medical Center and co-director of the Neurological Sports Injury Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "I have been closely following Xenith since its inception, and applaud their mission to make a difference in reducing head injuries to players across the country." Cantu calls the helmet "the greatest advance in helmet design in at least 30 years."
Vin Ferrara, a former starting quarterback at Harvard University who received medical and business degrees from Columbia University, is the brain behind the safer helmet technology, and says he looked at the concussion problem as a parent, coach, player and doctor.
"I concluded that a complete risk-reduction strategy was needed," says Ferrara, Xenith's founder and chief executive officer. "Our goal has been to not only construct the smartest and most optimized helmet, but to also provide the educational information needed to complement the helmet."
Here are a few simple actions parents can take to help make the football season safer, this year and beyond.
* Be proactive in talking with the coaches to learn about the condition of the helmets.
* Speak to their child, educate him on the severity of concussions and ensure he knows proper tackling techniques.
* Look for concussion education materials online. One source is www.xenith.com, where parents can find information that explains the risks of traumatic brain injury, as well as offers strategies to reduce the risk of concussions.
* Band together with your child's school and other parents to educate them and get them involved in the One Player: One Helmet program.
A common problem is the condition of the helmets. Currently, most parents do not have access to the state and condition of their child's protective gear, and players are often given helmets that have been refurbished with parts from multiple sources.
The One Player: One Helmet program is designed to end the standard industry practice of players wearing used football helmets with mixed components of unknown age, history or quality.
Parents of players can fully or partially fund the purchase and maintenance of an X1. Each participating player is guaranteed to receive the same helmet throughout his career, and in addition, any reconditioning performed during the life of the X1 can be tracked via the serial number. While families help fund the purchase of the helmets through the program, the team will handle the logistics.
If resources are limited and donation is not an option, parents can opt to create a fundraising program to outfit their child's team with safer helmets.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
