RESTON, Va. — Some parents are so concerned about concussions, they won't let their kids play football. Will the helmet protect them?
Virginia Tech biomedical researchers already ranked varsity helmets. Now, they have a helmet ratings for players younger than 14.
Researcher Steve Rowsens explained why they needed to do a separate study for kids.
"Children aren't scaled down adults. So they have bigger heads relative to their necks, their necks are weaker and their brains are still developing," said Rowson. He says they also hit their heads differently than adults.
"We put sensors inside the helmets of youth football players and measured their head impacts. After four years of data collection, we had a really good idea of how hard they hit their head, how frequently and where," said Rowson.
They take that information into a lab and with custom test equipment, hit a dummy with a helmet that represents a 10 to 12-year-old boy. Sensors measured the dummy head's impact or acceleration. The helmets that effectively reduced head acceleration earned higher scores.
So, what should parents make of this new youth helmet ratings?
"It's great to have this research," Reston Predication Dr. Vincent Ascrizzi said. He explained the new helmet ratings are just a piece of the puzzle concerning youth football injuries.
How risky is football for kids?
"In terms of all injuries, it has about the same number as other sports, but there are more severe injuries [in youth football] and the head injuries are the ones that have the most concern," Ascrizzi said.
He is concerned the new helmet ratings might give some parents a false sense of security when it comes to their young children playing football.
You can still get a concussion even if you have the best helmet.
"A concussion after all is due to a rapid change in the velocity of the head, whether it's in a straight line or rotating, for example is you fell backwards," Ascrizzi explained. "And helmets are not going to protect you from that."
He said parents really need to sit down their kids before they play and explain the risks to them, making sure the benefits outweigh the risks.
Ascrizzi also said parents should watch closely during games making sure the rules are being followed. They could also try to limit contact during practice.
