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