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Post by kcbazooka on May 17, 2012 15:44:50 GMT -6
I imagine every head high school coach in our state got an e-mail today about Guardian Helmet covering -- A soft covering to put over the helmet. Does anyone know anything about this group. I thought soft helmets actually increase the chance for neck injuries as the neck might twist more with added time per impact. (but that was from a study years ago). Just wanted to find out what anyone out there knows about it.
And if anyone plans on using them this year.
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Post by Chris Clement on May 17, 2012 19:53:40 GMT -6
I've looked at their site, and I'm firmly unconvinced that they help significantly. They have a lot of hype around them, and they seem to be playing off that more than showing real research.
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Post by coachshepherd on May 17, 2012 20:05:00 GMT -6
Was told by our trainer, asked him about them that they are a waste of money and offer little in terms of improvement in reducing concussions in practice.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 18, 2012 5:21:39 GMT -6
We bought a few for our key players to try out. They love them. Say you can't feel anything in practice! Whether they work or not, the mental confidence it gives the kids is invaluable. We were hit by the concussion bug last year HARD. Every headache turned in to a concussion. Also, if a concussion does happen...we can say we did EVERYTHING in our power to help prevent it.
Again, I do not know if they REALLY work, or if they do how WELL they work...
We will be buying more to outfit the rest of the team very soon.
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Post by blb on May 18, 2012 5:51:23 GMT -6
In early '60s Ohio State, I think Duke, maybe others tried a "new" helmet design that had extra padding in the middle from front to back.
Stuck up like a short but thick Mohawk haircut. Some of us old timers have seen pictures.
I don't remember all the particulars but they were done away with in short order because they were ineffective both in preventing head-neck injuries and for cost.
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Post by Yash on May 19, 2012 7:58:12 GMT -6
1. How much do these things cost?
2. How much of a pain in the Ash is it to put these things on and off?
3. Any research on if they reduce the force on impact or not?
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Post by 19delta on May 19, 2012 8:15:54 GMT -6
Looks like a scam to me.
Concussions are caused by the brain impacting against the inside of the skull. How, exactly, does this device immobilize the brain? Any blow to the head is still going to cause the brain to move inside the skull. How will this device prevent that?
Someone is going to make a ton of money off these, no doubt. But I highly question whether or not they will prevent any concussions.
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Post by Chris Clement on May 19, 2012 8:58:52 GMT -6
The device works by using the spring constant of the material (k) and increasing the duration of the collision (t), by increasing the distance (d) and to some extent a diffusion of energy(E). This leads to a reduction in the force (F) and acceleration (a) applied to the head. The basic physics are sound. The problem is that it just isn't thick enough, and can't really be made any thicker.
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Post by 19delta on May 19, 2012 9:24:48 GMT -6
The device works by using the spring constant of the material (k) and increasing the duration of the collision (t), by increasing the distance (d) and to some extent a diffusion of energy(E). This leads to a reduction in the force (F) and acceleration (a) applied to the head. The basic physics are sound. The problem is that it just isn't thick enough, and can't really be made any thicker. But a lot of research is pointing out that the severity of the impact really doesn't matter...low impact blows to the head may be as damaging as high-impact collisions. Again...I think a lot of people will go out and buy a bunch of these things and the company that makes them will earn a ton of money. But will it really make kids "safer"? If anything, I can see this product making the situation WORSE because, hey, kids have extra padding on their helmet, right? Heck, now they can hit even HARDER! |
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Post by Chris Clement on May 19, 2012 9:29:38 GMT -6
This device, on paper, will also reduce the impact of minor collisions. The problem remains that it doesn`t do nearly as much as they claim, and that will quite possibly lead to your third point, tht it will impart a sense of invulnerability. In effect, the science here is sound, the engineering is flawed.
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Post by larrymoe on May 19, 2012 13:17:05 GMT -6
I have heard from a guy who does a lot of research into concussions (he runs the concussion blog that I linked in another topic) that these things may actually increase concussions because a lot of the glancing blows people receive will now cause more trauma because the material these are made out of will not allow those glancing blows to pass by because the slickness of the current helmet, but instead will stop the head quicker causing more trauma.
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Post by Chris Clement on May 19, 2012 13:59:18 GMT -6
That is an issue. They claim to be non-stick, but there's definitely an increased risk of those kinds of injuries, although I think neck injuries are the greater concern. I don't think the increased risk is very high, I think the risks and benefits of this device are pretty negligible.
This company is related to the old ProCaps from the 90's, but those were much thicker, which is the key difference.
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Post by 19delta on May 19, 2012 14:01:42 GMT -6
I have heard from a guy who does a lot of research into concussions (he runs the concussion blog that I linked in another topic) that these things may actually increase concussions because a lot of the glancing blows people receive will now cause more trauma because the material these are made out of will not allow those glancing blows to pass by because the slickness of the current helmet, but instead will stop the head quicker causing more trauma. Good point. Another question... Will it void the helmet manufacturer's warranty if this device is worn? |
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Post by 19delta on May 19, 2012 14:04:20 GMT -6
Quite honestly, it really looks to me like someone whipped these things together to make a quick buck off the attention around concussions.
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Post by airman on May 20, 2012 13:21:37 GMT -6
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Post by airman on May 20, 2012 13:22:15 GMT -6
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Post by 42falcon on May 20, 2012 19:08:58 GMT -6
We bought a few for our key players to try out. They love them. Say you can't feel anything in practice! Whether they work or not, the mental confidence it gives the kids is invaluable. We were hit by the concussion bug last year HARD. Every headache turned in to a concussion. Also, if a concussion does happen...we can say we did EVERYTHING in our power to help prevent it. Again, I do not know if they REALLY work, or if they do how WELL they work... We will be buying more to outfit the rest of the team very soon. How easy is the install and removal? |
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 21, 2012 7:28:49 GMT -6
A few snaps around the facemask, and a pull strap on the back of the helmet.
As easy as installing a chin strap.
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