Use Of Protective Headgear Research Articles

A Helmet of Her Own?: A Qualitative Study of Key Stakeholder Perspectives on Headgear in Girls’ Lacrosse

Despite the high incidence rate of concussions in women's lacrosse, there is substantial push back against the use of helmets at the secondary educational and collegiate levels in the U.S. This study examines the social factors influencing the controversy surrounding the use of protective headgear and how the recent development of headgear specific to the women's game has shaped ongoing debates. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit interviewees with research knowledge or firsthand experience with injury and protective headgear in girls' lacrosse. Semistructured interviews were conducted and subsequently coded using qualitative research software to identify key themes and patterns. Sixteen respondents participated in this study; 4 players, 4 coaches, 3 researchers, and 5 administrators were represented in this sample. Overarching themes identified across these interviews included playing through pain, health consequences of concussions, concussion prevention strategies and the potential role of headgear, symbolism of headgear, gender dynamics, autonomy, and decision making. This qualitative study shows the importance of attention to the unique history of girls' lacrosse and current narratives surrounding headgear in the sport. There is a need for greater collaboration and consensus between all relevant groups to ensure that headgear best addresses the concerns of the people who will ultimately be using it. Future qualitative research should build on this preliminary study with a larger and more diverse sample to follow up on key themes and ultimately inform effective safety measures to protect athletes.

The Importance of Headgear During Scooter Riding in the Pediatric Population, and Suggesting Recommendations.

The authors analyzed the characteristics of pediatric patients who visited trauma center due to injuries sustained while riding scooters and suggested recommendations on our concerns about pediatric scooter use. From January 2019 to June 2022, we collected data for those who visited due to accidents while riding scooters. And, the analysis was conducted by dividing it into pediatric (younger than 12 years) and adult (older than 20 years) patients. There were 264 children (<12 years), and 217 adults (>19 years). We observed 170 head injuries (64.4%), in the pediatric population and 130 head injuries (60.0%) in the adult population. There were no significant differences between pediatric and adult patients for all three injured regions. Among pediatric patients, only 1 reported the use of protective headgear (0.4%). The patient suffered a cerebral concussion. However, 9 of the pediatric patients who did not wear protective headgear suffered major trauma. Among 217 adult patients, 8 (3.7%) had used headgear. 6 suffered major trauma and 2 suffered minor trauma. Of the patients who did not wear protective headgear, 41 suffered major trauma and 81 suffered minor trauma. Since there was only one patient in the pediatric group who wore headgear, no statistical inferences could be calculated. In the pediatric population, the head injury rate is as high as in adults. We were unable to statistically support the significance of headgear in the current study. However, in our general experience, the importance of headgear is overlooked in the pediatric population compared to adults. It is necessary to encourage the use of headgear actively publicly.

Athletes' and Coaches' Attitudes Toward Protective Headgear as Concussion and Head Injury Prevention: A Scoping Review.

The purpose of this article is to map existing research literature on athletes and coaches' attitudes toward protective headgear in sport in relation to concussion and head injury prevention, and to identify and analyse knowledge gaps in the field. A scoping review was conducted in three databases; PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, and reference lists were searched to identify relevant grey literature. This process lead to an in-depth analysis of 18 peer-reviewed journal articles. Of the 18 studies identified, the majority focused on athletes (n = 14), only two studies focused on coaches, and two studies included a sample of both athletes and coaches. The findings in this scoping review suggests that there is a discrepancy between attitudes and beliefs about the protective effects of headgear, athletes' behaviour as far as wearing protective headgear, and coaches' behaviour in terms of recommending use of protective headgear to their athletes. The majority of athletes in most of the reviewed literature believed that headgear had protective effects against concussion and other head injuries, however relatively few athletes report wearing this protective headgear unless it was mandatory by competition rules.

Personal protective equipment during the coronavirus disease (COVID) 2019 pandemic - a narrative review.

Personal protective equipment has become an important and emotive subject during the current coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic. Coronavirus disease 2019 is predominantly caused by contact or droplet transmission attributed to relatively large respiratory particles which are subject to gravitational forces and travel only approximately 1 metre from the patient. Airborne transmission may occur if patient respiratory activity or medical procedures generate respiratory aerosols. These aerosols contain particles that may travel much longer distances and remain airborne longer, but their infective potential is uncertain. Contact, droplet and airborne transmission are each relevant during airway manoeuvres in infected patients, particularly during tracheal intubation. Personal protective equipment is an important component, but only one part, of a system protecting staff and other patients from coronavirus disease 2019 cross-infection. Appropriate use significantly reduces risk of viral transmission. Personal protective equipment should logically be matched to the potential mode of viral transmission occurring during patient care - contact, droplet or airborne. Recommendations from international organisations are broadly consistent, but equipment use is not. Only airborne precautions include a fitted high-filtration mask, and this should be reserved for aerosol generating procedures. Uncertainty remains around certain details of personal protective equipment including use of hoods, mask type and the potential for re-use of equipment.

Craniofacial Trauma Associated with the Introduction of Electric Scooters in an Urban Setting

With the increase in popularity of standing electric scooter (e‐scooter) alternatives to public and automobile transit comes the potential for an added burden of traumatic injuries by unsafe, unregulated, or unconventional use of these modes of point‐to‐point travel. The ergonomics and riding position of e‐scooters make riders particularly susceptible to fall trauma, and the lessened ability to break falls can lead to an increased incidence of craniofacial trauma. When complicated by the variable laws and regulations of different urban areas utilizing rental e‐scooters, the mass usage of this expedient form of transport exposes users to a potential public health risk. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate emergency department (ED) admissions directly linked to e‐scooter use to assess the incidence and types of craniofacial trauma directly over the first 7 months of e‐scooter rentals in a major urban center.A total of 90 patients (56 males, 34 females) were admitted to the ED because of e‐scooter–related injuries over the course of the study, ranging in age from 13 to 60 years (mean age, 31.8 years). Most (64.4%) admissions involved extremity injuries, with 18 fractures, 4 dislocations, and 10 lacerations. Eight patients (8.8%) required transfer to the intensive care unit, male patients experienced trauma at a greater rate (62.2%) of e‐scooter–related injuries, and 7 of the patients admitted (7.7%) were younger than 18 years. Alcohol consumption was recorded in 16 e‐scooter–related ED visits (17.8%), and none of the admitted patients reported the use of protective headgear. 52 (57.7%) individuals presented with craniofacial trauma related to e‐scooter use. Of the 52 patients, 28 had trauma to the upper face, 28 to the midface, and 9 to the lower face. Soft tissue facial injuries were noted in 44 patients (80.8%) who sustained craniofacial trauma, 28 (53.8%) of whom required laceration closure. Extensive craniofacial injuries included subarachnoid/ subdural hemorrhage in 6 patients (11.5% of craniofacial patients), 1 of whom required emergency craniotomy. Le Fort fractures occurred in 3 patients, including one bilateral Le Fort II/III and left‐sided Le Fort I fracture and two Le Fort I fractures.The present study found that more than one half of all trauma patients presenting to a Level I trauma ED in Dallas, Texas, for e‐scooter injuries had injuries to the head and face. Craniofacial injuries require specialist intervention ranging from dentoalveolar splinting to extensive facial reconstruction, highlighting the implications of craniofacial trauma risk associated with e‐scooter use that could be significantly reduced by the use of proper protective equipment and access to well‐regulated bicycle lanes and cyclist/pedestrian safety policies. Special focus on the factors contributing to traumatic events involving e‐scooters, such as helmet use, pedestrian interaction, alcohol use, and policies regarding scooter use will help establish the best practices for the mitigation and treatment of such injuries.

The Effectiveness of Protective Headgear in Attenuating Ball-to-Forehead Impacts in Water Polo.

Recent reports have demonstrated that there is a serious risk of head impact and injury in water polo. The use of protective headgear in contact sports is a commonly accepted strategy for reducing the risk of head injury, but there are few available protective headgears for use in water polo. Many of those that are available are banned by the sport's governing bodies due to a lack of published data supporting the effectiveness of those headgears in reducing head impact kinematics. To address this gap in knowledge, we launched a water polo ball at the forehead of an anthropomorphic testing device fitted with either a standard water polo headgear or one of two protective headgears. We selected a range of launch speeds representative of those observed across various athlete ages. Mixed-model ANOVAs revealed that, relative to standard headgear, protective headgears reduced peak linear acceleration (by 10.8–21.6%; p < 0.001), and peak rotational acceleration (by 24.5–48.5%; p < 0.001) induced by the simulated ball-to-forehead impacts. We discuss the possibility of using protective headgears in water polo to attenuate head impact kinematics.

A Retrospective Cohort Study of Traumatic Brain Injury and Usage of Protective Headgear During Equestrian Activities.

Some of the more popular sporting activities for those living in rural areas include equestrian activities such as rodeo events and horseback riding. The lack of helmet use poses a concern for those who participate in these activities due to the risk of sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ultimately having a negative effect on their future. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a trauma center comparing the data on animal-riding patients and their use or lack of use of headgear and incidence of TBI. Of the patients identified, 16.2% sustained a head injury, ranking TBI fourth among all injuries sustained by the animal-riding population. Males were predominantly affected; however, females of pediatric age 5–17 years (54.5%) ranked high among the TBI population. Among all the patients identified with TBI, none of the patients were wearing a helmet and all sustained a head injury. The average injury severity score was 11, with hospital length of stay averaging less than 2 days and the overall mortality was 3.6%. Findings from the study should be considered for the purpose of implementing an age-specific educational program focused on head injury prevention and utilization of protective headgear. Current literature supports the use of protective headgear to reduce the risk of head injuries. Animal riders should be educated on the importance of using headgear as a preventive measure. Future studies are needed to indicate the effectiveness of injury prevention in regard to head injury severity and the use of protective headgear.

Impact-absorbing Materials in Reducing Brain Vibration Caused by Ball-to-head Impact in Soccer

There has been a long debate among researchers on whether soccer heading is capable of causing brain trauma. A recent study suggests that headings exceeding a threshold level of 855 to 1,550 per year, results in microstructural abnormalities in the brain's white matter. This shows that brain trauma is caused by cumulative effect of repetitive headings. The use of protective headgear is one of the suggested preventive measures to protect the brain especially for younger players. Researchers have tested several commercial headgears and found that they are only effective in head-to-head impact, but ineffective in attenuating impact caused by heading. This is due to the fact that soccer ball is compliant in nature relative to the head. The aim of this study is to investigate materials that can be utilised to minimise the acceleration of the brain caused by soccer heading. A vertical drop ball test was conducted on an instrumented dummy skull. The inner cavity of the skull is filled with ultrasound gel that represents the brain. Six impact-absorbing materials were tested to determine the most effective material that reduces the acceleration of the brain substitute. The speed of the ball before and after impact as well as impact duration were measured using high-speed camera. Coefficient of restitution was calculated to ensure the material is not only capable of reducing the brain acceleration, but also maintains heading performance. It was found that polymer kneepad foam is the most effective material that minimises the acceleration of brain substitute whilst maintaining the speed of the ball after impact.

Surfing Injuries Requiring First Aid in New Zealand, 2007-2012

In an island nation such as New Zealand with easy access to surf beaches, surfing activities are very popular and, while generally perceived as a healthy form of outdoor recreation, they do have attendant risks. This study reports on nondrowning, surfing-related incidents that required medical first aid on beaches during five summer seasons from 2007-2012. Retrospective descriptive analysis of data from lifeguard first aid reports found that 16% (n = 1,327) of injuries were the consequence of surfing activity. More males than females were treated for surfing injuries (68% male, 31% female). Lacerations (59%) and bruising (15%) accounted for most of the injuries. The head was the most common site of injury (32%) and most injuries were caused by contact with the victims own board (50%). Ways of promoting surf safety via equipment modification, the use of protective head gear, the management of surfing activity by lifeguards, and public education are discussed.

Boxing and mixed martial arts: preliminary traumatic neuromechanical injury risk analyses from laboratory impact dosage data

In spite of ample literature pointing to rotational and combined impact dosage being key contributors to head and neck injury, boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) padding is still designed to primarily reduce cranium linear acceleration. The objects of this study were to quantify preliminary linear and rotational head impact dosage for selected boxing and MMA padding in response to hook punches; compute theoretical skull, brain, and neck injury risk metrics; and statistically compare the protective effect of various glove and head padding conditions. An instrumented Hybrid III 50th percentile anthropomorphic test device (ATD) was struck in 54 pendulum impacts replicating hook punches at low (27-29 J) and high (54-58 J) energy. Five padding combinations were examined: unpadded (control), MMA glove-unpadded head, boxing glove-unpadded head, unpadded pendulum-boxing headgear, and boxing glove-boxing headgear. A total of 17 injury risk parameters were measured or calculated. All padding conditions reduced linear impact dosage. Other parameters significantly decreased, significantly increased, or were unaffected depending on padding condition. Of real-world conditions (MMA glove-bare head, boxing glove-bare head, and boxing glove-headgear), the boxing glove-headgear condition showed the most meaningful reduction in most of the parameters. In equivalent impacts, the MMA glove-bare head condition induced higher rotational dosage than the boxing glove-bare head condition. Finite element analysis indicated a risk of brain strain injury in spite of significant reduction of linear impact dosage. In the replicated hook punch impacts, all padding conditions reduced linear but not rotational impact dosage. Head and neck dosage theoretically accumulates fastest in MMA and boxing bouts without use of protective headgear. The boxing glove-headgear condition provided the best overall reduction in impact dosage. More work is needed to develop improved protective padding to minimize linear and rotational impact dosage and develop next-generation standards for head and neck injury risk.

Injuries and Medical Issues in Softball

Softball is enjoyed by millions of female and male athletes of all ages and competitive levels. Windmill pitchers are at risk for developing overuse injuries in the throwing arm. Improper mechanics and lack of pitch counts may increase the risk for developing a pitching-related injury. Softball-related overuse injuries include proximal biceps tendinitis, upper extremity stress fractures, and ulnar neuritis. Acute injuries commonly occur in the lower extremity and include both fractures and ligamentous injuries. Sliding injuries account for a significant number of these lower extremity injuries. The addition of breakaway bases and mandatory use of protective headgear by defensive players may decrease acute injuries commonly seen in softball. Off-season programs should stress proper throwing and sliding mechanics, core conditioning, and a lower extremity neuromuscular education program.

Sportverletzungen und Sportschäden bei Amateur- und Profispringreitern

The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency, extent, and effective preventive measures of sport injuries in professional and amateur-show jumping competitors. In a retrospective study design, 264 show-jumping riders (105 professionals, 159 amateurs) were interviewed by means of a standardised questionnaire. In total, 636 injuries were reported in detail. Injuries were categorised into severity grade I (36.0%) (not requiring medical attention), grade II (34.6%) (single medical treatment), grade III (20.9%) (several outpatient medical treatments) and grade IV (8.5%) (requiring hospitalisation). Specifically, 40.9% of the reported injuries to professional riders and 23.9% of those to amateurs were classified as severe (grade III or IV). The time-related injury rate in professional athletes was 1.1/1000h compared to 2.1/1000h in amateurs. The predominating types of sustained injuries were contusions (22%), articular sprains (16%) and abrasions (16%). Fractures were reported in 12% of all injuries. There were 95 head injuries (15%). The ratio between injured lower and upper extremities was 1.12 in professional athletes and 0.85 in amateur riders. Persistent pain at any site was reported by 33.7%. Helmet use was reported in 89% of professional and 94% of amateur riders. In spite of a high level of expertise and longer experience, professional show-jumping riders seem to be at higher riskfor sustaining severe injuries. Both performance-oriented style of riding and readiness to assume risk are presumably factors leading to this increased rate of severe injuries. No significant differences were seen between the use of safety measures in amateur and professional athletes. While most of the riders indicated the regular use of protective head gear, craniocerebral injuries are still frequent. Taken together, besides a circumspect riding style, the wearing of helmets remains the most important safety measure.

Does Padded Headgear Prevent Head Injury in Rugby Union Football?

Concussion is a serious problem in many contact sports, including rugby union football. The study's primary aim was to measure the efficacy of padded headgear in reducing the rates of head injury or concussion. A cluster randomized controlled trial with three arms was conducted with rugby union football teams as the unit of randomization. Teams consisted of males participating in under 13-, 15-, 18-, and 20-yr age group competitions. The interventions were "standard" and "modified" padded headgear. Headgear wearing and injury were measured for each study team at each game over two seasons. Eighty-two teams participated in year 1 and 87 in year 2. A total of 1493 participants (10,040 player hours) were in the control group, 1128 participants (8170 player hours) were assigned to the standard headgear group, and 1474 participants (10,650 player hours) were assigned to the modified headgear group. The compliance rates were low in all groups, but 46% of participants wore standard headgear. An intention-to-treat analysis showed no differences in the rates of head injury or concussion between controls and headgear arms. Incidence rate ratios for standard headgear wearers referenced to controls were 0.95 and 1.02 for game and missed game injuries. Analyses of injury rates based on observed wearing patterns also showed no significant differences. Incidence rate ratios for standard headgear wearers referenced to nonwearers were 1.11 and 1.10 for game and missed game injuries. Padded headgear does not reduce the rate of head injury or concussion. The low compliance rates are a limitation. Although individuals may choose to wear padded headgear, the routine or mandatory use of protective headgear cannot be recommended.

Injuries to junior club cricketers: the effect of helmet regulations

Objective:Despite the popularity of cricket at the junior community level, few studies have described injuries for this level of play. This study describes the epidemiology of cricket injuries in junior...

Rodeo Injuries and Prevention

Rodeo is a fast-moving sport with highly talented and tough athletes. Prevalence of injury is high, especially in rough stock events, which include bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding. In bull riding, the incidence of injury is reported at 32.2 injuries per 1000 competitor-exposures. While a number of different injuries can occur during bull riding, concussions are often the most alarming. However, they may also be the most amenable to prevention, despite resistance from rodeo cowboys and organization rulemakers to the use of protective headgear and lack of adherence to recovery guidelines. Rodeo athletes want to return to their sport despite injuries and rarely seek medical care; nonetheless, arena-side health care is still utilized and appreciated by rodeo cowboys. This article addresses the need for greater use of preventative equipment, the importance of allowing full recovery from concussions, and the need to make medical care more available to the rodeo athlete.

Rodeo injuries and prevention

Rodeo is a fast-moving sport with highly talented and tough athletes. Prevalence of injury is high, especially in rough stock events, which include bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding. In bull riding, the incidence of injury is reported at 32.2 injuries per 1000 competitor-exposures. While a number of different injuries can occur during bull riding, concussions are often the most alarming. However, they may also be the most amenable to prevention, despite resistance from rodeo cowboys and organization rulemakers to the use of protective headgear and lack of adherence to recovery guidelines. Rodeo athletes want to return to their sport despite injuries and rarely seek medical care; nonetheless, arena-side health care is still utilized and appreciated by rodeo cowboys. This article addresses the need for greater use of preventative equipment, the importance of allowing full recovery from concussions, and the need to make medical care more available to the rodeo athlete.

The impact of new regulations on the incidence and severity of ocular injury sustained in hurling

To prospectively evaluate, and compare, the incidence of hurling-related eye injuries in the South East of Ireland before and after implementation of new rules rendering the use of protective head gear and face masks compulsory for players aged 18 years or under. Details relating to patients attending the regional ophthalmic department with injuries sustained during hurling were prospectively recorded between 1 October 2003 and 31 March 2006. Sixty players attended with hurling-related ocular injuries during the study period. Of these, 43 (71.6%) and 17 (28.3%) sustained the ocular injuries during the 15-month period before, and after implementation of the new rules (1 January 2005), respectively. Restricting our analysis to players aged 18 years or under, and, for statistical validity, to the 12-month period immediately before and immediately after implementation of the new rules, a statistically significant reduction in the number of hurling-related injuries was seen (1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004: 11; 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005: 2; chi(2) test P<0.05) in this age group. A permanent visual deficit was seen in 11 (18.3%) patients. Of these, one (9%) was aged 18 years or under, and this injury was sustained before the new regulations. New rules rendering the use of protective eye wear compulsory for players aged 18 years or under have resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence and severity of hurling-related eye injuries in this age group.

Perceptions of Surfboard Riders Regarding the Need for Protective Headgear

To examine the use of protective headgear by surfers, their perceptions of its usefulness, and barriers to its use. A researcher-administered questionnaire was used to undertake a cross-sectional survey of 646 surfboard riders at 8 popular surfing beaches in Victoria, Australia. The main outcome measures were rate of use of headgear, perceptions of head injury risk relative to a range of other activities, perceptions regarding headgear, and the reasons for not wearing headgear. Most surfers were men (90.2%), young (mean age 28.2 years), and experienced (mean years of surfing 11.6). Only 245 (38.0%, 95% CI 34.2-41.9) surfers considered the risk of head injury while surfing as moderate or high, and only 12 (1.9%, 95% CI 1.0-3.3) reported routine use of headgear. The surfers were more likely to believe that there was a higher risk of head injury in other sports and physical activities (P < .001). Although 475 surfers (73.8%, 95% CI 70.2-77.1) thought that surfers who wear headgear are less likely to become injured, 400 (62.1%, 95% CI 58.2-65.9) reported that headgear restricted surfing performance and that they would rather surf without it. The main reasons for not wearing headgear were "no need," discomfort, claustrophobia, and effects upon the senses and balance. Although most surfers acknowledge some risk of head injury, headgear is rarely used and barriers to its use are apparent. Research is required to clarify the risk of head injury among surfers and the effectiveness of headgear in reducing injury risk. Until this evidence is available, educational initiatives, improved headgear design, and profile within the surfing culture would be required to increase rates of wearing headgear.

Agreement Statement from the 1st international rodeo research and clinical care conference

This agreement statement is intended to form a set of guidelines and recommendations for the prevention and clinical management of concussions arising out of rodeo events and the use of protective head gear in bull and steer riding. These guidelines and recommendations are not intended and should no

Self-Reported Headgear Use and Concussions Among Collegiate Men’s Rugby Union Players

The perceived effectiveness of rugby union headgear in reducing concussions in American male collegiate rugby union athletes was assessed. Data collection was conducted by survey method distributed using electronic mail. One hundred and thirty-one men’s club rugby union participants from eight university teams in the United States were surveyed. Demographic data were assessed using frequencies, means, and standard deviations. An ANOVA was used to assess differences in the frequencies of responses between players with concussions and their perception of headgear, with an increase in positive perception of headgear with increased concussions. Player position and years of experience played a role in the number of concussions and use of protective headgear. Seventy-six different athletes reported a concussion while playing, with the majority (51%) not wearing headgear. Athletes who wore headgear experienced 24% of the concussions, compared to 76% of those who did not wear headgear. The incidence of concussions and severity of concussions were perceived as less severe among the group wearing headgear. The general perception of those individuals polled as to the effectiveness of headgear in reducing head injuries was positive.