Padding on helmets

[donniesyracuse]

If the padding that the players wear on their helmets during practice actually reduces the threat of concussions, why do they not wear them during games? Certainly they could be built into the helmet design with school colors and logos.

 

[FAL]

If the padding that the players wear on their helmets during practice actually reduce the threat of concussions, why do they not wear them during games? Certainly they could be built into the helmet design with school colors and logos.

Wrong place for answers. Ask that enlightening, always-forthcoming fountain of knowledge, protector of student-athletes organization, NCAA.

 

[Upstate]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Anybody want to set the over/under on how many minutes it will take to turn this into another uniform thread?

 

[Trueblue25]

If the padding that the players wear on their helmets during practice actually reduces the threat of concussions, why do they not wear them during games? Certainly they could be built into the helmet design with school colors and logos.

As long as they're orange, I wouldn't care.

 

[Chip]

Anybody want to set the over/under on how many minutes it will take to turn this into another uniform thread?

Would the padding helmet be blue, or orange, or gray, or white?

(who had 20 minutes).

 

[xc84]

How about changing to these to reduce injuries:

 

[Finwad32]

There's no real data that they decrease the risk of concussion. Something like a 33% reduction was concluded in "lab tests" but I don't think it's been confirmed what those tests are or how they correlate. There's also the issue of whether or not the helmet padding nulifies the safety certifications that are applied to each helmet via inspection.

I'm not fighting against the padding one way or another. If it's safer, by all means do it. Mark Kelso should've patented his deal, it would've been worth more than his career most likely in the long run.

At the very least, it's progress.

 

[ImperialOrange]

If the padding that the players wear on their helmets during practice actually reduces the threat of concussions, why do they not wear them during games? Certainly they could be built into the helmet design with school colors and logos.

Conjecture on my part:
I think they would slow players down and stick more than hits that may otherwise slide/deflect off a smooth surface. You won't see the big hits in practice so the pads will help buffer the smaller ringing in the helmet type cumulative hits but may actually be detrimental for big hits when the helmets are most needed?


The internal padding and external shape of the helmet is the most important and they are doing some neat things with it. I have a large client in the industry and have had some very in depth discussions with some reps about what they're doing and looking to do. Very cool stuff. I commented specifically on the new flew hex plate on the crown of the helmet being brilliant since that is where my most violent hits always occured.

http://www.riddell.com/riddell-speedflex-helmet.html

Doing some extremely cool things with sensors inside the helmets to measure impact and record cumulative impact on specific players as well.

http://www.riddell.com/InSite

 

[Toga]

There's no real data that they decrease the risk of concussion. Something like a 33% reduction was concluded in "lab tests" but I don't think it's been confirmed what those tests are or how they correlate. There's also the issue of whether or not the helmet padding nulifies the safety certifications that are applied to each helmet via inspection.

I'm not fighting against the padding one way or another. If it's safer, by all means do it. Mark Kelso should've patented his deal, it would've been worth more than his career most likely in the long run.

At the very least, it's progress.

If they can make the Nutty Buddy ...

 

[ImperialOrange]

There's no real data that they decrease the risk of concussion. Something like a 33% reduction was concluded in "lab tests" but I don't think it's been confirmed what those tests are or how they correlate. There's also the issue of whether or not the helmet padding nulifies the safety certifications that are applied to each helmet via inspection.

I'm not fighting against the padding one way or another. If it's safer, by all means do it. Mark Kelso should've patented his deal, it would've been worth more than his career most likely in the long run.

At the very least, it's progress.

And it's impossible for lab tests to account for the human element. Your head and my head will be different by nature and the amount of impact needed to concuss someone will be inherently different for everyone. Maybe someone versed in the medical field could venture a guess but I wouldn't know if it would be beneficial to have more fluid around the brain to protect in an impact or less to keep the brain from potentially moving as much before impacting the skull?

 

[kuethstheman]

Would the padding helmet be blue, or orange, or gray, or white?

(who had 20 minutes).

Whatever the color, there's no way they can be as cool as the helmets are now nor as cool as the unis they go with! What would happen to recruiting? Kids would skip college altogether so they could wear Steelers retro unis that much sooner.

 

[Hoov50]

We looked into purchasing some of these for our student-athletes, but when we did the research we found that with most (if not all) helmet companies any type of guarantee/warranty is voided if these pads are used. That went for safety "guarantees" (as if there are such things) and damage warranties. We were told that the helmets were not designed with these types of padding in mind and the helmet may react differently than intended.

 

[Crusty]

I saw something on tv last year where some company or school had them tested and they were pretty much worthless. I guess that leaves them chicken soup - couldn't hoit!

 

[donniesyracuse]

I saw something on tv last year where some company or school had them tested and they were pretty much worthless. I guess that leaves them chicken soup - couldn't hoit!

I guess that makes them the college football equivalent of magnetic bracelets. It's not surprising that a team, which does not value data, would embrace them.

 

[CusefanATL]

there was some recent controversy regarding the pads as actually doing nothing or maybe even being counter productive.

either real sports or e60 did a segment on it about a year or so ago.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I saw something on tv last year where some company or school had them tested and they were pretty much worthless. I guess that leaves them chicken soup - couldn't hoit!

Ehhhh, think about how many times In high school seemingly minor helmet to helmet hits left your ears ringing. If nothing else, I'd presume the pads would elimate that.