More protective sports gear

Today's N.Y. Times has a weirdly familiar story, "Soccer Headgear: Does It
Do Any Good?" that echoes many of the arguments heard here about bicycle
helmets. The whole thing can be found at
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/27/sp.../27soccer.html
(registration is required but is free).

The "headgear" in question is even lighter than a bicycle helmet:

The founder of a San Diego-based company called
Full90 said he had sold 100,000 pieces of headgear.
The headgear resembles an enlarged headband, weighs
less than 2 ounces, and covers the forehead, temples
and occipital bone in back of the head. The device
is made of shock-absorbing foam situated between an
outer layer of Lycra and an inner layer of sweat-
absorbing polypropylene. Several models are available
for $24 to $39.

You will recognize extremely modest claims by the manufacturer:

Full90 does not claim that its headgear prevents
concussions. But the company does say the headgear
can reduce, by up to 50 percent, the peak impact
forces that occur during typical collisions when
a player's head strikes another head, the ground,
an elbow or a goal post.

Opponents say that there is no scientific basis for supposing that this
gadget actually prevents injury, while the supporters reply that the
soccer establishment just doesn't want to admit that their sport presents
dangers:

This has triggered skepticism within the United
States Soccer Federation, which contends that
marketing to the fears of parents has trumped
science regarding the effectiveness of headgear
in preventing concussions.

* * *

The soccer federation, which permits headgear but
does not endorse it, fears that its wide use would
undermine the assertion that soccer is a safe
alternative to football, [inventor Jeff] Skeen
said. He likens the doubt of soccer officials to
familiar but failed arguments once made against
the use of bicycle helmets [!], automobile seat belts
and soccer shin guards.

"They are trying to thwart the evolution of
headgear in soccer because they think it will
scare soccer moms away from the sign-up table,"
Skeen said of soccer federation officials. "And
because they think it could be viewed as an
admission that heading the ball itself is dangerous."

The soccer headgear skeptics say there is no published study proving
headband effectiveness and theoretical grounds to believe headbands might
actually be dangerous:

"There is no evidence headgear are going to help,
and some theoretical stuff that it could hurt," said
Dr. Gary Green, a clinical professor at the U.C.L.A.
division of sports medicine who is on the soccer
federation's medical advisory committee. "Why take
a chance until this gets studied?"

Like their helmet counterparts, they argue that risk compensation will
negate any benefits and advocate better skills over protective devices:

Players might develop a false sense of security,
relying on headgear instead of proper medical
evaluation after suffering a concussion, federation
doctors say. Or, they say, players might feel
invincible in headgear and play with reckless
aggressiveness, displaying behavior known as
the Superman effect.

Rather than headgear, federation officials
advocate better technique, stricter rules
enforcement and improved officiating to reduce
the number of head injuries. Some also recommend
mouth guards and padded goal posts instead of
padded headgear.

There are quotations from players and coaches of teams sponsored by the
manufacturer who try to walk a narrow line on risk compensation, denying
that such behavior exists but nevertheless lauding the devices for
instilling confidence:

Jerry Smith, coach of the Santa Clara women's team,
which received free headgear from Full90, said the
equipment made his players more confident in
challenging balls in the air, and more assertive,
but not overly so.

Several players, including Joy Fawcett of the United
States women's national team, who endorses Full90,
discounted the so-called the Superman effect, saying
the headgear did not make players dangerously aggressive.

The full article has more familiar material: dodgy science, sincere
testimonials, and painful sounding thought experiments ("I'd challenge any
of these doctors who feel this has no value to run into the goal post
without a Full90"). I predict this will take a while, but the $30 padded
headband will prevail and become compulsory, at least in organized youth
soccer in the U.S.

--

Paul Turner

Paul Turner wrote:
Today's N.Y. Times has a weirdly familiar story, "Soccer
Headgear:
Does It Do Any Good?"

The soccer federation, which permits headgear but
does not endorse it, fears that its wide use would
undermine the assertion that soccer is a safe
alternative to football, [inventor Jeff] Skeen
said. ...

Interestingly enough, there are relative stats on soccer vs
bicycling.
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm

"Australia: Pedalling Health compares the injury risks of
cycling (falls and collisions) to the risks of some of other
sports that children engage in. It seems very fair to me to
compare the risks of falls to another sport rather than to
driving a motor vehicle. Note that the threshold for these
injuries was a trip to the hospital, which I assume means
hospitalization rather than the emergency room:

Injuries per Million Hours
Football 1,900
Squash 1,300
Basketball 1,100
Soccer 600
Bicycling 50

The figures demonstrate that cycling is not dangerous when
compared to these sports activities."


The soccer headgear skeptics say there is no published
study proving
headband effectiveness and theoretical grounds to believe
headbands
might actually be dangerous:

I reffed youth soccer for 13 years. A common sight in the
fall was small children kicking each other in the shins, out
of the sheer experimental joy that this could be done
without pain with the aid of shinguards. I can see a
generation of future headbangers coming up.

--
Mike Kruger
Too many people spend money they haven't earned
to buy things they don’t want
to impress people they don’t like. -Will Rogers

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 17:57:39 -0600, "Mike Kruger"
wrote:

Paul Turner wrote:
Today's N.Y. Times has a weirdly familiar story, "Soccer
Headgear:
Does It Do Any Good?"

The soccer federation, which permits headgear but
does not endorse it, fears that its wide use would
undermine the assertion that soccer is a safe
alternative to football, [inventor Jeff] Skeen
said. ...

Interestingly enough, there are relative stats on soccer vs
bicycling.
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm

"Australia: Pedalling Health compares the injury risks of
cycling (falls and collisions) to the risks of some of other
sports that children engage in. It seems very fair to me to
compare the risks of falls to another sport rather than to
driving a motor vehicle. Note that the threshold for these
injuries was a trip to the hospital, which I assume means
hospitalization rather than the emergency room:

Injuries per Million Hours
Football 1,900
Squash 1,300
Basketball 1,100
Soccer 600
Bicycling 50

The figures demonstrate that cycling is not dangerous when
compared to these sports activities."

There we are, some legitimate facts. Good to see. Sure puts a few things into
focus.

Ron

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 20:05:55 -0500, Ronsonic wrote:

There we are, some legitimate facts. Good to see. Sure puts a few things into
focus.

Kinda spoils the fun, though.