Properly fitted football helmets decrease concussion severity: study

San Francisco – Football-related concussions and their severity may be minimized with a properly fitted helmet, according to a study presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s Specialty Day in February.

Researchers analyzed reports from 1,398 concussion events collected by the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study.

High school football players wearing a properly fitted helmet were 82 percent less likely to experience loss of consciousness after suffering a concussion, according to a draft of the study. The age of the helmet and the age of the athlete were not found to be significant risk factors.

Researchers concluded that athletic directors and head football coaches must ensure that each player has a properly fitted helmet. They recommended that coaches should properly prepare helmets before each use and should obtain each athlete's prior concussion history, the draft study found.