Concussion Science Is Changing the Game: How New Helmet Design and Testing Can Protect Athletes from Brain Injury

Sport-related concussions affect athletes of all ages. According to the American Academy of Neurology, up to 3.8 million people experience sports-related concussions annually in the United States. This is particularly alarming among young athletes as 283,000 kids visit the emergency room each year due to sports-related head trauma.Concussions are a serious—and often underreported—problem. Sports ranging from football and hockey to snowboarding and skateboarding present an elevated risk of head injury. American football, however, leads the pack when it comes to sports in which athletes experience concussions. But the problem isn’t limited to youth sports. NFL players are at a particularly high risk of sustaining concussions and long-term brain damage. In fact, research shows that football players are at the highest risk among athletes for CTE—a degenerative brain disease that comes from repeated head trauma.The good news is that concussion science is starting to change the game. New developments in helmet design along with innovations in physical and digital testing are creating a new paradigm that can make contact sports safer. The following infographic provides a detailed look at concussion science, including new helmet design and robust simulations that can mitigate the risk associated with several high-impact sports.

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