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Research has shown that ice hockey officials can experience a decrease in auditory acuity after officiating ice hockey games. We evaluated the effect of helmet visor length on the sound pressure level of whistle noise to which ice hockey officials are exposed to determine if visors increased the sound pressure level. A Knowles Electronic Manikin for Acoustical Research with an in-ear microphone and a sound level meter were used to measure noise levels during whistle blowing. The manikin was equipped with an ice hockey helmet and three visor configurations: no visor, a short visor, and a long visor. A pea whistle was mounted adjacent to the manikin's mouth and configured to produce approximately 115 dB of whistle noise. We found that measured noise levels in the manikin ear were significantly different (p < .001) depending on helmet and visor configurations. Our study results suggest that longer helmet visors might increase ice hockey officials' noise exposure. These results are of importance to environmental health professionals in recognizing noise sources that can increase the risk of noise-induced hearing loss from recreational noise exposure., Introduction USA Hockey is the governing body for organized amateur ice hockey in the U.S. and the National Hockey League (NHL) is the governing body for professional ice hockey in [...]

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury is the most prevalent military injury in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet little is known about the mechanical effects of blasts on the human head, and still less is known about how personal protective equipment affects the brain's response to blasts. In this study we investigated the effect of the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) and a conceptual face shield on the propagation of stress waves within the brain tissue following blast events. We used a sophisticated computational framework for simulating coupled fluid--solid dynamic interactions and a three-dimensional biofidelic finite element model of the human head and intracranial contents combined with a detailed model of the ACH and a conceptual face shield. Simulations were conducted in which the unhelmeted head, head with helmet, and head with helmet and face shield were exposed to a frontal blast wave with incident overpressure of 10 atm. Direct transmission of stress waves into the intracranial cavity was observed in the unprotected head and head with helmet simulations. Compared to the unhelmeted head, the head with helmet experienced slight mitigation of intracranial stresses. This suggests that the existing ACH does not significantly contribute to mitigating blast effects, but does not worsen them either. By contrast, the helmet and face shield combination impeded direct transmission of stress waves to the face, resulting in a delay in the transmission of stresses to the intracranial cavity and lower intracranial stresses. This suggests a possible strategy for mitigating blast waves often associated with military concussion. computational models | personal protection equipment doi/ 10.1073/pnas.1014786107

Thailand faces road safety challenges. The country has a high rate of road traffic deaths, with 36.2 deaths per 100 000 population per year according to the World Health Organization [...]

Legislation that requires the use of helmets by motorcyclists may prevent a significant number of deaths from motorcycle-associated head injuries. A survey of deaths in the US between 1979 and 1986 found that states that had laws requiring helmet use by motorcyclists had a similar number of motorcycle-associated deaths as states without full helmet-use laws. But in states with full helmet-use laws, only 47% of the deaths involved head injuries, compared to 56% of the deaths in states without full helmet-use laws. Individuals who died in motorcycle accidents had a five to sixfold higher risk of death from a head injury than those who died in other types of motor vehicle accidents. Some individuals object to legislation aimed at motorcyclists because motorcyclists account for only 15% of deaths from head injuries in motor vehicle crashes., Objective. - To rebut criticism of a previous study of motorcycle helmet-use laws through reanalysis with improved measures of exposure, stratification for regional differences in crash risk, and addressing of total motorcycle-related mortality and the grounds for targeting motorcyclists for helmet-use laws. Design. - Death certificate-based correlational study of motorcycle-related deaths and motorcycle helmet-use laws. Population Studied. - United States resident deaths from 1979 through 1986. Results. - Regardless of the denominator used (resident population, motorcycle registrations, or motorcycle crashes), states with full helmet-use laws had consistently lower head injury-associated death rates than states without such laws, even when stratified by region. Total motorcycle-related mortality, however, was similar between law groups. On a registration or crash basis, motorcyclists who died in crashes had a fivefold to sixfold higher risk of head injury than those who died using any other type of motor vehicle. Conclusion. - Full helmet-use laws were consistently associated with lower rates of head injury-associated death. While disagreement remains on the acceptability of the legislative approach, the scientific basis for motorcycle helmet-use laws as a head injury prevention tool appears sound.

Bicycle safety helmets may prevent a large number of head injuries and deaths caused by bicycle accidents. A survey of death certificates and emergency room reports from 1984 to 1988 found that 2,985 or 62% of all bicycle-associated deaths were caused by head injuries. Collisions with automobiles caused 87.3% of these deaths. Emergency room reports listed 902,752 head injuries caused by bicycle accidents, accounting for 32% of all bicycle accident injuries. Children under 15 years of age accounted for 41% of the head-injury deaths and 76% of the non-fatal head injuries. One death per day and one head injury every four minutes may be prevented if cyclists wear safety helmets., Objective.-To estimate the potential benefits from more widespread bicycle safety helmet use. Design. - Review of death certificates and emergency department injury data for 1984 through 1988. Categorization of deaths and injuries as related to bicycling and head injury Using relative risks of 3.85 and 6.67 derived from a case-control study and varying helmet usage from 10% to 100%, population attributable risk was calculated to estimate preventable deaths and injuries. Setting. - Entire United States. Main Outcome Measures.-Numbers of US residents coded as dying from bicycle-related head injuries, numbers of persons presenting to emergency departments for bicycle-related head injuries, and numbers of attributable bicycle-related deaths and head injuries. Main Results.From 1984 through 1988, bicycling accounted for 2985 head injury deaths (62% of all bicycling deaths) and 905 752 head injuries (32% of persons with bicycling injuries treated at an emergency department). Forty-one percent of head injury deaths and 76% of head injuries occurred among children less than 15 years of age. Universal use of helmets by all bicyclists could have prevented as many as 2500 deaths and 757 000 head injuries, ie, one death every day and one head injury every 4 minutes. Conclusions. - Effective community-based education programs and legislated approaches for increasing bicycle safety helmet usage have been developed and await only the resources and commitment to reduce these unnecessary deaths and injuries. (JAMA. 1991;266:3016-3018)

It appears that helmet use by motorcyclists could prevent a significant number of brain injuries and deaths. The medical records of 3,184 motorcyclists involved in accidents in Wisconsin in 1991 were reviewed. Slightly more than 31% (994) of those involved in accidents were wearing helmets and 63.3% (2,015) were not wearing helmets. Information on helmet use was unavailable for 5.5% (175) of those involved in accidents. A total of 545 of those for whom helmet status was known were hospitalized. Of these, 34.3% (187) had head injuries. Fifty-five accident victims who were not wearing helmets and 19 who were wearing helmets died. Those who were not wearing helmets at the time of their accident were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized as those who were wearing helmets. Almost 5% of those not using helmets and almost 2% of those wearing helmets had brain injuries. It is estimated that if all motorcyclists had been wearing helmets 60 brain injuries, eight concussions, 13 skull fractures, and 14 deaths would have been prevented.

Athletic trainers who oversee football teams are morally required to know how to take off a football helmet face mask within 30 seconds so that rescue breathing can be given to an injured player who is not breathing. Trainers should possess this skill regardless of whether the Board of Certification includes it in the oral/practical examination. Accordingly, athletic training courses must include hands-on practice in the sometimes tricky task of removing face masks.