Because JJ&W has counseled the Brain Injury Association of NH for a number of years, we\u2019ve gotten very familiar with the concussion issue \u2013 it has certainly been in the spotlight with triggering events like the death of Junior Seau of the San Diego Chargers and more recently, the movie \u201cConcussion\u201d.<\/p>\n
Of course, any social problem involving behavior change is of interest to us\u2026but I was particularly fascinated by the approach UNH Kinesiology Professor Erik Swartz took with \u201cHelmetless Tackling Training\u201d or HUTT, pilot-tested on the UNH football team.\u00a0 Swartz, using the \u201cHead Health Challenge II\u201d research grant funded by the NFL, Under Armour and General Electric, worked with the UNH football coaching staff to incorporate a tackling drill, with half of the players wearing helmet\u2026 the other half, not.<\/p>\n
Head impact sensors worn by all the players collected data on the impacts.\u00a0 The question:\u00a0 would removing helmets cause players to adjust their tackling technique and build muscle memory that would result in a safer tackling technique and fewer head injuries going forward?<\/p>\n
The results from the 2014 football season:\u00a0 a decrease in head impacts of almost 30% among those who participated in the helmetless drills \u2013 in practices and games where helmets are worn<\/u>. In the words of Schwartz:\u00a0 \u201cthis is the first study out there to really focus on changing behavior to mitigate risk rather than finding ways to accommodate it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Breakthrough thinking, and the next steps will be developing appropriate training for players at the high school level and below \u2013 those audiences, and their behaviors, need to be studied and carefully considered first.<\/p>\n