Recently, the Princeton (NJ) school district became the first in the state to mandate headgear [1] for all middle-school soccer, field hockey and lacrosse players, with plans to require it for high school athletes in the future.
The move was a bold one, but, as someone who specializes in the treatment of sport concussion, it came as a bit of a surprise. While headgear may reduce lacerations and skull fractures, there is currently no research to show that headgear in sports such as soccer, field hockey or girl's lacrosse actually reduce the incidence of concussion, especially since many concussions occur without a direct blow to the head but from a body blow that produces a whiplash, snapback or twisting effect.
Like some other concussion experts who have weighed in on Princeton's controversial move, I also worry about the false sense of security that young athletes may feel wearing the new headgear, which can lead them to play harder or more aggressively, paradoxically increasing their injury risk.
None of the articles I have read on Princeton's actions address on what I believe we really need to focus on. In my view, here's what we need more:
Bottom line: youth sports need to be exactly that: sports for kids, not professional sports. If we start kids out early, believing that sports are for fun, team-building, and strategic thinking, and that one should play in a way that always avoids injury at all costs, then we will have healthier youth with healthier brains who can enjoy long academic and sports careers.
As a sports mom, neuropsychologist, researcher, and concussion expert, who raised her kids in Princeton, my motto has always been and continues to be, "Love your brain...love your sport."
Links:
[1] http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/08/princeton_schools_become_the_first_in_the_state_to_require_headgear_for_soccer_lacrosse_and_field_ho.html
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/6208
[3] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/5919
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/3471
[5] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/soccer-headgear-and-astm-product-performance
[6] https://mail.momsteam.com/subconcussive/frequent-soccer-heading-linked-brain-damage-impaired-memory-study-finds
[7] https://mail.momsteam.com/team-of-experts/athletic-trainer-AT-every-school-should-have-one
[8] https://mail.momsteam.com/baseline-neuropsychological-testing/baseline-computerized-concussion-testing-products-caution-urged-before-purchasing
[9] https://mail.momsteam.com/baseline/baseline-neuropsychological-tests-getting-valid-results-poses-challenge