Citation

Daneshvar DH, Baugh CM, Nowinski CJ, McKee AC, Stern RA, Cantu RC. Clin. Sports Med. 2011; 30(1): 145-163.

Affiliation

Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, B7800, Boston, MA 02118, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.csm.2010.09.006

PMID

21074089

PMCID

PMC2987604

Abstract

Millions of athletes in the United States experience concussions annually. Although helmets and mouth guards have decreased the risk of catastrophic head injuries, their protective effects on concussions are less clear. This article evaluates the current literature on the effect of equipment on concussions. Understanding the role that these equipment play in preventing concussions is complicated by many factors, such as selection bias in nonrandomized studies, variations in playing style, and risk compensation in sports with mandatory protective equipment. Improving coach and player education about proper concussion management, encouraging neck-strengthening exercises, and minimizing high-risk impacts may reduce concussions in sports.

Language: en