Since the origin of sports, there are various levels of risk that come along with the game and the evolution of protective gear has dramatically increased with the hopes of decreasing the probability of injuries. These days high contact sports have their players covered with state of the art helmets protecting their heads and pads over half their bodies to that help reduce injuries. Sports like baseball and softball that don’t have as much physical contact limit their rules on safety requirements to catcher’s gear and batting helmets. However, a debate on whether further inclusion of protective gear should be implemented for specific positions in softball continues to be controversial, but the full incorporation of this requirement remains …show more content…
During 1995, there were 35,200 reported emergency room treatment facial injuries due to head impact of a ball, with only ten percent occurring during offense (Deal, 1998). The increases in injuries lead to the creation of a mask designed for the other positions in softball. Remarkably though, the urgency for softball players to wear face masks seems most important while batting and catching compared to field positions, especially pitching. Over the years, there has been a positive relationship between the growth of facial injuries and the increased speed of play in fastball softball. As girls get older, the game gets faster, and the batters become better hitters with the ball coming off the bat at high rates, some of which needs more than just fast reactions. An athletic trainer with Topeka’s Cotton-O’Neil Clinic explains that if there is enough force put on the ball to fracture a cheekbone or nose, there is enough force to bruise the brain (Brunner, 2014). Players continue to resist masks and several remain to suffer from head injuries that could have been prevented. In 2014, there was 8,000 concussions with an overall twenty percent of all injuries in softball related to head and face impact (Ringor, 2014). The numbers are continuing to grow, especially without the implementation of the protective masks for pitchers in the NCAA (National …show more content…
Feeling comfortable and vision restrictions are common factors that softball pitchers are a few of the reasons of deciding not to wear a mask. The curved shape of the shelled plastic does not fit every differently shaped head, and the foam padding does not particularly work on warm days. When the sun is beating down and humidity is floating in the air, the mask gets slick and slides around, and often causes sweat to get into the eyes. The bars that cover the face even though relatively thin, are a concern for obstructed view. These disadvantages do not fit the needs that are required for a pitcher or any other softball player with a face mask to perform at their optimal level. It is often not until a pitcher witnesses a head injury first handed that they then consider wearing a mask. The consequences then become more apparent and lead to increased mask use. In the last several years, many young athletes have been forced to wear them by their parents and some coaches to prevent injury as the awareness of the damage that can occur when not
OUTLINE Thesis: Although most hockey athletes believe that by wearing required equipment keeps them safe from injury, however I believe that these regulations should be stricter because of the severity of recent and past injuries. Introduction: Are equipment regulations enough to keep our hockey athletes safe? I. Injuries a. Richard Zednik b. Clint Malarchuk c. Bill Masterton II. History of Equipment a. Pre 1950 b. 1960-1970
2014 Issues Analysis By Dino Nuker Sport Safety: Should headgear be made mandatory for all contact sports? Injuries are common in most sports that have a contact component attached. Whether it’s at a professional level, or a school level, injuries are always bound to occur in contact sport. This analysis will look into the role headgear could, should and would play, and debates whether it should be made mandatory. Olympic sports such as Ice Hockey, Bicycle Riding and Baseball are just some examples that currently require athletes to wear a form of headgear.
American football is full of exciting competition, but do we realize the danger! Helmet safety in football remains an immense problem as the sport accounts for the highest incidence of concussions. Since leather football helmets, the technology for safer helmets has improved drastically and continue to improve. The development of newly designed helmets and technology has lowered the risk of head injuries for players. Furthermore, improvements in helmet testing methods have led to better understanding head injuries and the protectiveness of the helmet. In respect, football helmet safety still remains a challenge, such as a necessity of a proper categorization system to rank helmets and regulations to improve helmet safety. Regardless, standards and regulations attempt to address helmet safety through government intervention and a proper measuring system for football helmets. Despite the cultural perception of football, measures are taken to ensure safety, such as the reforms and education with regards to playing safer football. I intend to address the technological advances and regulation of football towards the discussion of helmet safety. Therefore the aggresivity in football’s culture should embrace stronger helmet standards and regulation that are promoted through improved testing methods and innovations because of the need to prevent further dangerous head injuries, especially concussions.
This study was completed using 52 Bantam and Midget hockey players, 13-14 years of age and 15-16 years of age respectively [5]. Players were required to were instrumented helmets for the duration of two seasons where data was captured for 12,253 head impacts. The system used to instrument the helmets was the HIT system, which uses an on-board algorithm to create the Head Impact Technology severity profile (HITsp) [5]. Data was collected for acceleration values, player position, event type, and head impact location. Six-single axis accelerometers, a battery pack, and the telemetry instrumentation was attached to either a Reebok RBK 6K, 8K, or Easton Stealth S9 hockey helmet which was checked for proper fit biweekly. All data was time stamped, encoded, stored locally, and transmitted wirelessly to a sideline
Like many sports the rules of softball have changed threw out history. Anyone who plays softball knows mother nature has a huge role in the game. We play outside on a field so rain, lightning, and thunder don't always get along with the game schedule. When softball was first thought of this was not a problem as the game was played inside. It was originally used for baseball players to
Millions of people are registered throughout North America for participation in Canada’s national sport and pastime, ice hockey. Most young hockey players have the dream of making it to the National Hockey League (NHL). Because of this incentive to keep striving towards their ultimate goal in their hockey career, they idolize the players in the NHL. Therefore, youth players may obtain certain habits from the elite, whether those habits are good or bad. Some cases are of bad influences, such as young players obtaining the dirty playing habits of the professionals. The primary action that influences the youthful population is body checking. With the thought of losing a game, it is no wonder why players have the urge to play rough and potentially hurt the opposing team in order to be victorious. For that reason, hockey is a strong collision sport that requires great skill and motivation. Although body checking is believed to be a useful tool in the winning of hockey games, it can be the cause that leads to injury among players. Because of the rougher play, lasting brain injuries are becoming a worry and too many players are exposed to the lasting effects of the head injury. According to Michael Cusimano July 22, 2003 the article entitled “Body Checking and Concussions” states, “With the rising incidence of traumatic brain injury in hockey, too many players are exposed to the lasting effects of such injuries, some of which are not fully realized until the brain completes its maturation.” For this reason, new equipment and regulations need to be devised for use in the near future.
("N.F.L. Players’ Union Weighs the Benefits and the Pitfalls of Helmet Sensors. This technology helps prevent a player with a concussion that he doesn’t know about from continuing to play during that game and cause more damage to his head that can last forever. Another good advancement is helmets that have a design that uses energy-managing materials and a facemask attachment system that disperses energy from frontal impacts. This helps prevent the head from taking the main part of the blow and disperses the energy to lessen the likelihood of becoming seriously injured from a hit. These types of helmets have a certain shelf life meaning you can only use them for so many years before they have to be replaced, this is beneficial so that the equipment stays up to the new standards of safety for the players as well as prevents them from becoming stressed over the years and breaking.
Ice hockey is a fast-paced and full contact sport whether you are in a body checking league or not. However with a full contact sports, concussions are unfortunately inevitable. There are numerous factors that play into the number of concussions in ice hockey. Body checking and numerous head impact injuries that occur in hockey are a huge reason for concussions. Although administrators are taking steps towards concussion prevention and education, this education is proving to be ineffective. This paper will take a look at the various injury mechanisms that contribute to concussions and other head-impact injuries in ice hockey, as well as discussing concussion education.
Since football’s inception, it has been considered a manly sport. Young boys have been encouraged by their parents to participate in the game. For many boys, it is considered a rite of passage. However, football is a dangerous sport. A study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy found, “an estimated 5.25 million football-related injuries among children and adolescents between 6 and 17 years of age were treated in U.S. emergency departments between 1990 and 2007. The annual number of football-related injuries increased 27 percent during the 18-year study period, jumping from 274,094 in 1990 to 346,772 in 2007” (Nation 201). These reported injuries include sprains and strains, broken bones, cracked ribs, torn ligaments, and concussions. A concussion usually happens when a player takes a hard hit to the head or is knocked unconscious on the playing field, and if not diagnosed and treated quickly, a concussion can result in death.
“Concussions in Sports and Recreation.” Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine 8.1 (2007): 2-6. Print. The. Bartholet, Jeffery. A. “The Collision Syndrome.”
Helmets drastically reduce the tremendous number of deaths caused by head injuries as well as reducing the severity of any ...
One of the first skills a future softball player learns is how to properly hold a bat. Though they are young and cannot follow much direction, this is the time when their skills first begin. The type of hit that results is dependent on the angle and amount of force the player uses. The softball will pop up high, and sometimes far, when the bat swings in an upward motion. Swinging the bat very straight, along with using a great deal of force, creates what is known as a “line drive” hit. Learning how to swing the bat is only a portion of the skills a player learns at a young age. Having the proper stance is a necessary tool in having an appropriate amount of power for the softball player to hit the ball. Even though it is the player’s arms that hold the bat, it is the player’s legs that allow her to push the ball far. Another important factor is the batter’s grip. The batter must understand how hard to hold onto her bat as she swings, especially when considering the different possibilities of the pitches that can come. If her grip is too strong and her wrist too locked, it will be very difficult for the batter to swing the bat at a hard, swift angle. The bat will be uncomfortable in her hands, and will cause the batter to almost chop at the ball, as if she were holding an ax. Because of this, the player will not have any strength in her swing and, in turn, she will not have any strength in her hit. The
Football is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is played in a lot of different ways, fashions, and other countries. It can be a very brutal sport with players hitting at the intent to hurt one another. With these intents come great consequences. In recent years the head injuries involved with this brutal game play have been getting uncomfortably high. Many rules have had to be enforced for player safety, because of the increase of head injuries resulting in tragic effects on players both old and new. One of the injuries that have had the most devastating effects is the concussion.
While the use of helmets does aid in protecting players from brain trauma, they also increase the risky behavior of players; this is called risk compensation. Risk compensation is the adjustment of individual behavior, responding to the perceived changes in risk (TheFreeDictionary.com). Most people that wear helmets have a pre-conceived idea that, because they have a helmet on, they can possess more daring behaviors and be fine. The helmet is basically thought of as a tool to hit harder, or improve performance in today’s culture. Adventure writer and pilot, Lane Wallace (2011) accurately understands the dangers of helmets being used incorrectly, and how they are used as weapons instead of safety. Wallace also theorizes like the NFL, a change in football culture and of viewpoints towards helmets would vastly reduce trauma to the
Contact sports in America, like football and boxing, carry a rich history of the spirit of the game, and the feeling of victory. These games bring us together as we cry out and cheer for our team or fighter as they deliver the winning touchdown, or the knockout that brings them the undisputed champion belt. However, these players are facing injuries that can destroy their career and affect their brain for the rest of their lives. We shouldn’t outlaw contact sports, but we should force safety to become more important. If we want to keep our players safe and continue the tradition of the contact sports we enjoy as a country, then we must evolve our safety in sports, and change the way we view contact sports as a country.