Higher altitudes may reduce concussions for NFL players By Jeff Adcox - Feb 4th, 2014 at 5:11 pm
Dec 29, 2013; Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Wallace Gilberry (95) is helped off the field after an injury during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 34-17 Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports A new study on concussions for NFL players during the 2012 and 2013 season reveals that players are 30 percent less likely to sustain concussions when playing at higher altitudes. The data also suggests that helmet designs and rule changes, such as penalizing helmet-to-helmet contact, have not shown a measurable reduction of concussions The study identified “brain slosh” as the suspected common cause of concussions, not direct impact to the head. Because the brain doesn’t fit tightly inside the skull, rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head puts the brain at risk for a slosh-induced injury. This is why higher altitudes may help protect a player. Cerebral blood flow rises at higher altitudes, causing the brain to fit tighter inside the skull, thus reducing the risk of concussion. It’s like bubble wrapping the brain. The study concludes that the risk of sustaining a concussion is significantly less at games played in the nine NFL cities with the highest altitudes, cities that range from 644 to 5,192 feet above sea level. These cities include: •Phoenix •Atlanta •Buffalo •Charlotte •Denver •Indianapolis •Kansas City •Minneapolis •Pittsburgh The combined odds of concussion during a game in one of these cities was 30 percent less than in the 23 other cities with NFL teams. “If we’re going to solve this problem, we have to figure out a way to protect the brain from the inside out. That’s why we think we might be on the front edge of something that could influence a paradigm shift in concussion prevention-strategies,” said Greg Myer, PhD, director of sports medicine research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Myer was the lead author of the study. http://fansided.com/2014/02/04/higher-altitudes-may-reduce-concussions-nfl-players/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Around%20the%20Network#!uxrDW
It's good that they are looking for true solutions.
Interesting indeed. I also expect they'll find in time that hotter climates will factor into it too.
I don't understand why they don't require all players to wear the improved helmets
Just imagine if the Glazers could sell more of their krill oil to the NFL... http://bcove.me/v5vy1zaf
I don't understand why they don't require all players to wear the improved helmets
I don't understand why teams still have their players warm up with helmet contact drills. I don't think helmets will stop the slosh, tho'...
So let's let them play football on the mountain tops... Out bounds equals falling off the edge.
Higher altitudes may reduce concussions for NFL players By Jeff Adcox - Feb 4th, 2014 at 5:11 pm
Dec 29, 2013; Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Wallace Gilberry (95) is helped off the field after an injury during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 34-17 Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
A misleading subject line; Concussions have actually decreased by 13%.... Unless you are suggesting that the NFL plays all its games in Peru, this article is useless dribble
It's a rough sport. Conclusions are going to happen. Scary thing is they may resort to flag football when it's all said and done. But this is why they are paid millions to play. It's not because they can catch a football or run to a guy with the ball in his hand. Part of it but the physicality of the game was always a factor and now they try to limit it. Good luck.
It's a rough sport. Conclusions are going to happen. Scary thing is they may resort to flag football when it's all said and done. But this is why they are paid millions to play. It's not because they can catch a football or run to a guy with the ball in his hand. Part of it but the physicality of the game was always a factor and now they try to limit it. Good luck.
Baseball players get paid much more and they aren't getting concussions like NFL players are
This is all a song and dance to make it look like they are actually improving safety. If the NFL were really concerned, they would force players to wear mouth pieces and properly fitting helmets. Until they take that simple step, everything else is smoke and mirrors.
It's a rough sport. Conclusions are going to happen. Scary thing is they may resort to flag football when it's all said and done. But this is why they are paid millions to play. It's not because they can catch a football or run to a guy with the ball in his hand. Part of it but the physicality of the game was always a factor and now they try to limit it. Good luck.
Baseball players get paid much more and they aren't getting concussions like NFL players are
People watch baseball for different reasons than they watch football. That game hasn't changed all that much. But we know football as an aggressive sport. We grew up with it that way. Parents signed their kids to play knowing they could get hurt but that didn't stop them. Football became popular because of its physicality and is what made it a challenge. Now the challenge is to not be as physical because you don't want to hurt the other player. Im all for players safety but the pop of the game is what made it fun to watch. At least for me it did. To see all these penalties get called just makes me lose interest in the game. It's disappointing really that it had to come down to this.
This is all a song and dance to make it look like they are actually improving safety. If the NFL were really concerned, they would force players to wear mouth pieces and properly fitting helmets. Until they take that simple step, everything else is smoke and mirrors.
All the externa; armo0r won't change anything. The brain is in fluid, as the article says. Not much about external padding can stop the fact that a brain going X miles an hour suddenly stops and then gets slammed into the inside of your skull. Helmets are designs to stop skull fractures not concussions.
This is all a song and dance to make it look like they are actually improving safety. If the NFL were really concerned, they would force players to wear mouth pieces and properly fitting helmets. Until they take that simple step, everything else is smoke and mirrors.
All the externa; armo0r won't change anything. The brain is in fluid, as the article says. Not much about external padding can stop the fact that a brain going X miles an hour suddenly stops and then gets slammed into the inside of your skull. Helmets are designs to stop skull fractures not concussions.
That is true, their primary purpose is to prevent skull fractures, but wearing a helmet improperly as most NFL players do does not help. Mouth pieces are designed to help prevent concussions and the NFL enforces neither. Its the easiest of steps for them to take and they wont do it.
I'd rather see the number of leg injuries vs last season, or the season before for that matter.
