Reflecting worldwide interest in reducing sports-related concussions, the US National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) has approved new regulation standards for American football helmets.
As early as June 2016, manufacturers will be required to comply with safety standards more specific to concussions than current regulations.
"The revised standard approved today introduces methods for testing certain concussion-causing forces," says Dr. Robert Cantu, NOCSAE vice president and co-founder of the Sports Legacy Institute. "Our next step will be to establish a threshold that helmets must meet to reduce concussion risk."
No helmet is concussion proof, and according to Dr. Cantu, the concept is unlikely because concussions happen for many, vastly different reasons.
Increased research and improved technology are urgently necessary to reduce their numbers, he says.
In the US, the increasing focus on preventing concussions comes from a 2013 report by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, citing rising emergency room visits per year by young people for sports-related head injuries coupled with a lack attention to detail in the data.
US President Barack Obama led a May 29 summit meeting to develop a plan to make youth sports safer, during which the pressure on young athletes and the "push through the pain" culture was mentioned.
Earlier this spring, Force Impact Technologies announced FITGuard, a sensor-equipped mouth-guard that activates an LED display, alerting the user if the force of an impact is potentially dangerous.
According to Dr. Cantu, concussion prevention research is still in its embryonic stage.
"NOCSAE will continue to challenge the scientific, medical and manufacturing communities to explore solutions for enhanced athlete safety," he says.
The effort by NOCSAE reflects growing concern on an international level.
In South Africa, the Leatt Corporation, specializing in personal protective athletic gear, recently unveiled two unique helmet prototypes for off-road motorcycle and cycling use.
The helmets cover the face, and were designed in the interest of protecting against the sort of "low-energy impact" that is the leading cause of concussions in the aforementioned activities.
"We are very excited about the upcoming introduction of our new line of helmets, which are the culmination of years of research, development and testing by our international team of advanced engineers and designers," CEO Sean Macdonald said.
Those helmets are to be released in the coming year.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Tue Jun 24 2014
New safety regulations for football helmets in the US reflect an international concern for reducing concussions. -AFP Photo
AWANI Ringkas: Jumlah hari tol percuma kekal
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
[KOLUMNIS] Malaysia perlu bijak tangani isu diplomatik, jangan biarkan dibuli negara besar
Sekiranya Malaysia hendak mengekalkan status sebagai sebuah negara berkecuali di samping menjaga kepentingan ekonomi negara, kepimpinan negara perlu untuk mempertahankan kedaulatan negara.
Ada keperluan pinda Seksyen 21 Akta Polis - KPN
Terdapat keperluan untuk PDRM melakukan pindaan terhadap Seksyen 21 Akta Polis 1967, yang berkaitan dengan tugasan mengiring di jalan raya.
Kegiatan haram di KL: Lebih daripada seorang pegawai kanan polis dipercayai terlibat - Azam Baki
Lebih daripada seorang pegawai kanan Polis Diraja Malaysia dipercayai terlibat dalam aktiviti melindungi kegiatan haram di ibu negara, tegas Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM Tan Sri Azam Baki.
Tular titah lama Sultan Nazrin di luar konteks, Pejabat Dewan Negara Perak buat laporan polis
Pejabat Dewan Negara Perak membuat laporan polis berhubung penularan kenyataan berunsur perkauman yang memetik titah diraja Sultan Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shahdalam konteks yang salah.
Bubur pedas, juadah tradisi meriahkan Ramadan di Sarawak
Setiap kali Ramadan, juadah bubur lambuk pasti menjadi 'fenomena' di Semenanjung, sejak sekian lama.
Cristiano Ronaldo akui dia bukan lagi ‘pemain terbaik’ Portugal?
Bernardo Silva telah dinobatkan sebagai pemain terbaik Portugal walaupun Cristiano Ronaldo masih beraksi untuk negaranya.
Cuaca panas: Orang Asli hadkan aktiviti luar rumah, masuk hutan
Bahang cuaca panas menyebabkan masyarakat Orang Asli suku kaum Temiar di Pos Brooke terpaksa mengurangkan aktiviti di luar rumah dan masa bekerja di dalam hutan.
Kerajaan Persekutuan ambil alih projek LRT Pulau Pinang
Projek pembangunan LRT Laluan Mutiara Pulau Pinang akan diambil alih oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan tetapi dengan meletakkan syarat kepada Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang.
Pengarah syarikat dakwa pemilik RM500,000 beri keterangan esok - Ketua Polis Selangor
Pengarah syarikat yang mendakwa pemilik bagasi berisi wang RM500,000 yang ditemukan di tempat letak kereta dijangka hadir memberikan keterangan esok.
Selepas kecewa dengan prestasi Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo beralih sukan?
Cristiano Ronaldo muncul dalam video sebagai pemain 'American football' bagi mempromosikan Super Bowl LII.