Riddell's Revolution helmet has been advertised as the best football helmet ever designed for preventing concussions in football players, from high school to the NFL. But some researchers question just how effective the Revolution is. Alan Schwarz of the New York Times reports that Riddell uses a study published in the journal Neurosurgery to bolster its claims about the Revolution's effectiveness, but there's an awfully big caveat:
That study has been strongly criticized by several prominent experts because it was commissioned by Riddell and because it tested new Revolution helmets against reconditioned traditional models of indeterminate age....
Dr. Michael Levy, a neurosurgeon at the Children's Hospital of San Diego, said in a telephone interview: "People are running around with that paper selling helmets, and it has not been shown that it makes a difference. People get a false sense of security, and you have to hope that children are not suffering from the promotion of numbers that are not accurate."
That doesn't mean the Revolution isn't a good helmet - most experts do seem to believe that it's effective. But it's troubling how little good, solid, unbiased science there is behind the claims about which helmets are most effective for preventing concussions.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-27-2007 @ 4:57PM
Mark said...
The Revolution helmet was developed with the NFL because in initial study of concussions on video replay showed 70% of concussion origin was the facemask, chinstrap or a transfer of energy to the jaw. The helmet claims to protect from blows to the jaw.
Article quote;
The helmet was designed to protect players from concussions but also provides the best jaw protection available on a football helmet, he said.
The Revolution was made after a study came to the surprising conclusion that 70 percent of players' concussions occurred from blows to the jaw or side of the head, Cothern said.
end quote;
Since this study was documented you would think a focus on jaw biomechanics would have been paramount. Also it was a retospective of prior concussion, these same statistic would warrant a retrospective of Patriot player compliance. Yet when Elliot Pelman, the engineer behind the helmet study, was appraised of a medical device used for two decades by the N.E. Patriots, the idea was shelved. Still, even after NFL statistics indicate a drastic reduction in concussion with the Patriots, the NFL seems to deflect any connection to the origin of this type of "hidden brain injury". Now referred to as a hidden brain injury the Military has now published a study making this chin strap force directly related to the chin strap forces. The Revolution is no better than any other helmet, its marketing message is sending kids onto fields with their heads first. They think they will be immune and tackle head down like missiles. Rodger Goodell has requested the study of the Maher mouth guard, their intentions need to be questioned, Goodell needs to be more hands on. At a closer look, the proposed study design is flawed and is an apples to oranges look at the cervical/spine relation compared with a cerebral concussion. The Pats have no concussions this year, yet the NFL continues to claim it knows better.
www.mahercor.com
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10-29-2007 @ 11:54AM
Bill Samuel said...
The lower jaw needs to be secured and if you only cover just the upper or just the lower, the jaw is allowed to slide and slam into the TMJ area upon impact.
Studies show over 90% of concussions resulting with unconsciousness, are from impacts to the jaw. Mouthguards that cover only one set of teeth offer little or no protection from this type of impact. Even when wearing a helmet, impacts to facemask and helmet are transmitted through the chinstrap to the TMJ and base of the skull. We spend hundreds of dollars per player on equipment and uniforms and less than one dollar to protect their teeth and brain. Boxers know the easiest way to knock out an opponent in other words "give him a concussion" is an uppercut to the lower jaw.
There is an upper and lower mouthguargd that secures and cushions the jaw and prevents the jaw from impacting the base of the skull and TMJ. Even when wearing a new generation helmet the Brain-Pad is the only mouthpiece tested and proven to show a 40% reduction in impact forces entering the TMJ and base of the brain. No other mouthguard can make this claim. Please visit www.brainpads.com and view the head drop study done at Wayne State university May 2005. This problem is not only with the Pro's but goes all the way down to the Pop Warner level. We need an affordable mouthguard that will protect all these players.
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10-29-2007 @ 3:58PM
t aaron, md facp said...
We all assume that a chin strap is mandatory because for thousands of years it was the only form of attachment. As a practicing physician and father of 3 "athletes" I developed my own head and neck protection system which may make the chin strap obsolete by virtue of its revolutionary approach. Preliminary data shows it reducing head and neck injuries, aids in rapid cooling and prevents hoarse collaring. Unfortunately it is difficult to get the attention of the NFL. Please refer to my US patented System 6874170. My system has been closely examined by orthopedic and neurosurgeons as well as football players, all of whom were excited by its potential.
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