Steeler Says New Football Helmet Liner Protects Against TBI

A new “concussion reduction” football helmet liner holds the promise of reducing brain injuries – and one believer is Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

“I haven’t had any ringers, spots, blackouts or anything like that since I started wearing it,” said Harrison in a USA Today story on the new protective headgear.

This is hopeful news for participants in all sports, but especially for young football players. High school football accounted for the greatest number of severe injuries of all fall sports in 2011, according to a sports injury research study at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Many of these were Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) caused by a violent impact to the brain. There were two deaths – both caused by hard hits.

The new helmet liner is made by Unequal Technologies. It is one-eight inch thick and includes a layer of Kevlar, the synthetic fiber used in bulletproof. It has a sticky side that adheres to the inside of the helmet.

According to USA Today:

“Unequal Technologies … says independent laboratory tests show its liner dissipates head impacts. One measurement, called the Severity Index, is used by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), a non-profit group that tests sports helmets…. Unequal Technologies says tests showed its product could reduce the Severity Index score by up to 50 percent and the G-Force measure of acceleration by 25 percent.”

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause brain damage. A hard hit can also cause spinal injuries. Both brain and spinal injuries can result in permanent mental or physical disability.

One study conducted at Purdue University shows that the most serious concussion damage is usually caused not by a single blow to the head but by repeated hits over time. Other research indicates that head blows suffered at a young age might show up as brain damage many years later, possibly as Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative diseases.

The Scranton personal injury lawyers at Munley Law believe that sports are fun and beneficial in many ways. But one youth sports injury is one too many.

Contact a Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorney

Got a question about a sports accident or injury? Want to talk to an experienced Pennsylvania litigator? Contact Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free consultation. The call is free.

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