As American football increases in
popularity, greater attention is being given to
head-related injuries and concussions
caused by the high-impact sport. Looking at
the helmet’s structural safety and the way
that football players use their helmets can
be an integral part in preventing head
injuries. Current strategies include
penalizing players for
high-risk behavior such as leading with their
helmet or hitting an opposing player above
the shoulder.
A more
passive and
effective
strategy
would be to
modify the
helmet in a
way to better
protect the head of the players or even
to change the playing style of the players.
Football Players Use Their Helmets to Tackle Others Despite Knowing Risks
Andrew Kuriyama, Austin Nakatsuka, Loren G. Yamamoto, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAP, FACEP
Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Kapiolani Medical Center For Women And Children
Background Results ( n = 177 football players ) Conclusions
Methods
Future Studies
Surveys were distributed to high school
varsity football teams. Surveys asked
players about the use of their helmets while
playing and if modifications to the helmet
(soft foam rubber on the outside of the
helmet) would affect their style of play. The
survey contained 11 multiple-choice
questions. A total of 177 players
participated in the survey.
Acknowledgements
Significance
This study looks to survey current high
school varsity football players on how they
use their helmets when playing and how
certain helmet modifications would affect
their style of play. By understanding how
high school players intend to use their
helmets and what they think of certain
helmet designs, progressive steps can be
taken to further reduce head injuries.
• Heavy Hand Impacts. Current or former
football players will strike a HITS helmet
with their hand, measuring impact from a
celebratory “head slap” that often occurs
during games.
• Different Types of Material. Other
dampening material such as cloth,
leather, or rubber could be seen as a
more effective way of injury prevention.
• Complete Covering of Helmet. Using a
helmet that can measure the force of an
impact, fitted exterior wrapping will be
made to cover the entire helmet and
Most of the young football players we
surveyed use their helmets to block or tackle
(79%), though the majority is taught they
would be penalized or potentially injured if
they do so. A little less than half thought that
putting a soft cover over a regular helmet
would help to protect their head better, yet
only a small percent thought that the soft
cover would prevent them from using their
helmet to tackle (23%).
Although
much less
than the
majority
mentioned
that their
heads or
neck hurt,
after getting their helmet slapped in
celebration, this could be a potential source
of head injuries.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Never 1-4 Times 5-10 Times More than 10Times
How many times have you done this in the last year?
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes
No
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2. I was told that this is a poor way to tackle someone
3. I was told that spearing with my helmet would hurt the other player
6. I was told that spearing with my helmet would result in my getting kicked out of the game
1. I was told spearing with my helmet was a good way to tackle someone
Of the 177 participants, 79%
(n=139) said that they have used
their football helmet to hit another
player while tackling or blocking
them. 30% (n=52) said that they
have done this more than 10
times within the last year.
Only 9% (n=15) of players were told that leading with your
helmet was an effective way to tackle or block someone, while
58% (n=102) or participants said they were told it was a poor
way of tackling someone. Players also seem to know that
tackling or blocking someone while leading with their head can
potentially injure their opponent (72%, n=127, of participants) or
themselves (92%, n=162, of participants). Players also know
that leading with their heads can result in in-game penalties
(79%) or getting ejected from the game (60%).
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Yes No
Q10: Do you think that putting
a soft cover (foam rubber)
over your regular helmet would protect your head better?
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
3. Bad idea: A soft cover over my helmet takes away the hardest part of
my gear, I will have to use my shoulder pad to inflict pain when tackling
2. Bad idea: A soft cover over my helmet would make it more difficult to
tackle
6. Good idea: A soft cover over my helmet would prevent me from
wanting to spear or lead with my helmet
5. Good idea: A soft cover over my helmet would protect my head better
1. Bad idea: A soft cover over my helmet would make my head look big
48% (n=85) of participants thought that putting a
foam rubber cover over their original helmets would
protect their heads better. When asked if playing
with the soft cover over their heads is a good or bad
idea, 38% (n=67) said it is a bad idea because it
would make their heads look big, 41% (n=72) said it
is a bad idea because it would make it harder to
tackle or block, 30% (n=53) said it is a bad idea
because they would have to use their shoulder
instead, 29% (n=51) said it was a bad idea because
the sound of colliding helmets is part of the game.
43% (n=76) thought it would be a good idea because
it would protect their helmet better and 23% (n=40)
thought it was a good idea because it would stop
them from leading with their head.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Did you ever get your helmet slapped by your teammate?
5. Yes and it hurt my neck a little
4. Yes and it hurt my head more than a little
3. Yes and it hurt my head a little
6. Yes and it hurt my neck more than a little
2. Yes but it never hurt at all
1.Yes I have had my helmet slapped
Of the participants who answered, 88% (n=155) said that
they had their helmet slapped by a teammate although 66%
(n=116) said that it never hurt at all. 31% (n=55) said that
their head hurt a little, while only 8% (n=14) said their head
hurt more than a little. 12% (n=22) said that their necks hurt a
little while 3% said their necks hurt more than a little.
When asked if they accidently or purposefully hit an
opposing player with their helmet (question 8), 36% (n=64)
said that it was an accident while 15% (n=27) said they did it
on purpose and 31% (n=55) said that they or their opponent
purposefully caused the head-to-head contact one or more
times.
• Hawaii high school football players,
coaches, and athletic directors who
volunteered their time to complete these
surveys.
4. I was told that spearing with my helmet would hurt me
5. I was told that spearing with my helmet would result in a game penalty
7. I was told to NEVER tackle or block by spearing with my helmet
8. Other
Have you ever used your football helmet to hit
another player on the other team during a tackle?
Have you ever been taught that spearing and leading with your helmet is a bad idea?
Why do you think playing with a soft cover over your helmet
will be a good idea or bad idea?
4. Bad idea: The sound of helmets colliding is part of the game of football
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