New Sports Gear May Trump Helmet Safety in Kansas City

Over the years, lot of time and energy has been put into making sports helmets protect the skull and brain better. However that time and energy spent on the helmets we have today may have been a waste. Helmets protect the skull from being fractured very well, but that doesn't stop the brain from sloshing around in the liquid between the brain and the skull. The brain sloshing around in the blood, cerebral fluids and liquid is a major reason for concussions.

So, if helmets don't do it, how are we supposed to protect our brain? The answer is a very simple compressive collar or band worn around the neck. It only needs to be as tight as a snug shirt collar to do the trick.

Mammals have two sets of jugular veins in the neck; "external", which run along the side and right under the skin, and "internal", run below the outer layer of muscle. The "internal" jugular veins drain blood from the brain and skull. When these veins are compressed, the skull fills more fully with blood, keeping the brain from sloshing around if the skull experiences an impact. This protects the brain from a concussion.

Although more testing and validation will be needed before these collars can be introduced to athletes, the tests done thus far have shown that they will be a very important addition to athletic protective gear.

These collars are very simple to make and market. They cost only around ten dollars to make or the same effect could be achieved by placing cotton balls in the protective neck guards that hockey players already use. However, National Hockey League players are well known for fighting new protective gear, such as helmets and face shields, so this will probably be introduced to youth leagues in the future. Division 1 NCAA football teams have shown great interest in the compressive collar.

Dr. Joseph Fisher, anesthesiologist at the University of Toronto, is a researcher working on the collar. He wears a set of bent headphones every time he rides his bike to protect himself from a concussion incase he is in an accident.

A concussion is a very serious injury. If you believe that you have acquired a concussion, seek profession medical attention immediately. Stay in a dimly lit and quiet room for about three days in order to help a concussion heal better. This means no work, homework, music, or television.

Common concussion symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Loss of consciousness - even for very short amounts of time
• Sensitivity to light and/or noise 
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision 
• Confusion
• Inattentiveness
• Memory problems
• Pressure in the head

  

If you or a loved one has suffered from a sports related concussion, the Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys may be able to help. You can get more information online from the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury practice area or the "Just Ask" section. Need a more person to person feel? Call 816- 471-5111.