Here's Payton story of recovering from an injury on the football field

Whether you’re an elite performer, weekend warrior, or parent of athletes, you likely know how serious concussions can be. Classified as a traumatic brain injury, a concussion happens when a blow or hit to the head or body causes the brain to rattle, bounce, or twist inside the skull, temporarily interrupting normal brain function.

Sports-related concussions occur more than 300,000 times annually in the U.S., according to the University of Pittsburgh’s Brain Trauma Research Center. But does protective gear help prevent the likelihood of concussion?

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Understanding Different Gear

We asked Jonathan E. French, PsyD, a clinical neuropsychologist with the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, to help us understand the different types of protective gear and their effectiveness against concussions.

Helmets

Helmets are a must when playing any sport that carries a high risk of head injuries, like hockey or football. The same is true if you ride a bike or motorcycle. “Helmets are essential to reducing skull fractures,” says Dr. French. “But a fracture is very different from a concussion.” A helmet cannot necessarily prevent the brain from rattling in the skull. Research does not support one type of helmet being superior to another in reducing concussions on the field, but helmets do offer head protection from impact.

Mouthguards

Invented by a British dentist more than 100 years ago to protect the mouths of boxers, mouthguards gained a reputation for concussion prevention over the years. “It was speculated that the mouthguards put the jaw in a position to reduce shock and minimize traumatic force to the brain,” says Dr. French. Despite the fact that a team of top neurological experts debunked that theory in 2009, there are players who continue to wear mouthguards for concussion prevention. Mouthguards are certainly good for protecting teeth, but not so good for preventing concussions.

Concussion Headbands

The concussion-prevention headband is a newcomer to the concussion safety-gear game, claiming to help reduce the severity of hits to the head in sports where players do not wear helmets, such as soccer. However, Dr. French shares: “Concussion headbands do not offer significant protection from concussion due to the mechanism of injury typical of soccer concussions.” Concussions can occur not only from a direct hit to the head, but also from blows to the body that may also shake the brain.

The Bottom Line

Concussion-protection gear is not effective in preventing concussions and actually might encourage more aggressive play due to false confidence that the device will protect the athlete from a head injury.

Dr. French instead suggests that you can better protect yourself against head injuries by focusing on getting a properly fitting helmet, learning the symptoms and dangers of concussion, and adapting “best practice” playing techniques and strength training for your sport. Learn more about concussion prevention methods here.

If you do get hit in the head and have any symptoms, Dr. French urges that you take these precautions:

  • Get off the playing surface immediately and to a safe sideline
  • Visit a concussion expert for a full evaluation of your condition

Proper concussion management is the best approach to reducing the length and difficulty of recovery from concussion.

To learn more or schedule an appointment with the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, please call 412-432-3681 or visit UPMC.com/Concussion.

https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Concussion

https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_whatis.html

About Sports Medicine

An athletic lifestyle carries the potential for injury. Whether you’re an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, UPMC Sports Medicine can help. If you are looking to prevent, treat, or rehabilitate a sports injury, our multidisciplinary team of experts can help you get back into the game. If you are seeking to improve your athletic performance, we can work with you to meet your goals. We serve athletes and active people of all ages and experience levels. Our goal is to help you keep doing what you love. Visit our website to find a specialist near you.