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Leather football helmets gave just as much protection

07/11/2011
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in the US have carried out analyses on the protective helmets athletes use these days to play American Football and concluded that the traditional leather helmets players wore almost a century ago offered just as much protection.

In a new study the Cleveland Clinic carried out impact tests on the high-tech helmets in use today and on leather headgear, reproducing the effects a player can suffer during a game. The number of concussions particularly young players are suffering while playing has become a concern for parents and school authorities.

Lead researcher Adam Bartsch told Reuters that for most impacts and angles new-style helmets are no better at reducing injury and in some cases, the old leather helmets offered slightly better protection.

He said the study called into question the effectiveness of a helmet with a hard outer shell and stiff interior padding in protecting players from the “everyday” hits that, over time, can lead to head, neck and brain injuries.

The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Neurosurgery.


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