How to Reduce Concussion

[T-Boon]

73% of people become concussed after reading a T-Boon post.

Nasty bitchness is a sign of concussion.

 

[T-Boon]

Or just allowed his 400 children to play.

The Hoppa's and the Trbjevics could field a pretty good squad of first graders.
The Manly Hopjevic's.

 

[Springs09]

You pretty much can't unless you want the sport to no longer be rugby league.

I run a competition in country NSW. We use the senior safeplay code. It includes rules such as only two in the tackle, one marker and a 5m rule (though we usually take it back to 7-8m because 5m ends up with a team making 10m in a set of six). This plus no lifting, nothing above the shoulders etc.

Is it good quality? Sure, for bush footy. Helps us little guys out a bit more and defence is actually tougher due to needing good technique and hard hits to stop them rather than just 4 or 5 man gang tackles. It's faster as well due to only having 2 men to hold them down rather than 3 or 4 peeling off and no god damn wrestle.

But is it better for injuries? Hell no. My team has had 2 concussions in 6 rounds, including myself. I also play for a team in Group 20 which has regular rules - 1 concussion in 12 rounds.

The problem, though we like to blame foul play, is that most concussions occur from players heads hitting the shoulder, hip, knee or head of another player when attempting a tackle. There is no way we can remove these from the game completely unless we want to remove the tackle.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Anyone know what the boxing concussion rules are ?

Eg how soon can a boxer start boxing again when knocked out

Following is taken from this article -

"Professional boxing is a popular contact sport in which concussions are common. Professional boxing currently lacks a standardised post-concussion return to boxing protocol. Professional boxers are arbitrarily suspended for periods ranging from 30 to 90 days after suffering a technical knockout (TKO) due to multiple head and body shots or after a knockout (KO). For some boxers a neurology clearance is requested prior to their return to boxing. "

This might give some people some useful general information - http://sma.org.au/resources-advice/concussion/

 

[siv]

If there was even a skerrick of evidence to suggest that then it'd be mandatory for everyone to wear headgear.

Lets take a few style of concussions

Head clash - should help
Head hitting the hard turf - should help
Knee hitting head in making a tackle - maybe

The padding would slow the impacts rather than bone on hard surface situations

But will do nothing for wipelash tackles

 

[Captain Apollo]

Some suggested reading -

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/headgear-wont-stop-concussion-20120903-25all.html

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/6158046/Headgear-won-t-protect-players-from-concussion

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-...ing-to-calls-for-mandatory-headgear-in-rugby/

One thing though, concussion is caused by the brain moving and then quickly stopping, hitting the "inside" of the skull. Hence how does a helmet provide extra protection for that as it is not inside the skull.

 

[Springs09]

I've had 3 concussions while wearing headgear.

It might help a bit but it definitely doesn't stop it.

 

[Someguy]

I would say headgear would have a small effect as some deceleration will occur from the time it takes the impact to travel through the padding to the skull but given the momentum involved in the collisions I would doubt there have been many (if any)concussions that would have been avoided by wearing headgear.

I have heard that boxing gloves actually contribute to brain injuries in boxing as the extra weight leads to more momentum in the punch.

I would say the best way to decrease concussions would come from training changes to tackling techniques and technique while being tackled. Cam smith for example has made 15,000 odd tackles and I cannot recall the last time he was concussed, while others with differing tackle technique look like they could go head first into a hip or elbow in any given tackle.

 

[simmo05]

Wouldnt it be worth it for the nrl to implement it weather it works or not? At worst, it would show that it did everything possible to prevent brain injuries, that it knew were occuring. If only to provide a defence for court cases which are definately on the cards in the future

 

[unforgiven]

Wouldnt it be worth it for the nrl to implement it weather it works or not? At worst, it would show that it did everything possible to prevent brain injuries, that it knew were occuring. If only to provide a defence for court cases which are definately on the cards in the future

Not really as there is plenty of research to point to that states that headgear as no benefit for concussion and can in fact make it worse as it creates a false sense of security!

 

[T-Boon]

The beauty of mandatory headgear would be it is another thing that they could put sponsorship ads on.

 

[jaseg]

As I understand it;

• Headgear generally protects the skull and skin more than the brain, which moves inside the skull (and can hit the inside).
• Subconcussive hits are much more common than actual concussions and can also contribute to long term damage.

Reducing the number of contacts to the head area by providing enticements for players to tackle around the legs (and coaches to coach this) is the simplest way to move the needle (like mave has already pointed out), but it's not really solving the problem completely... because nothing will, short of not playing the game.

 

[footy75]

Tougher penalties for those that hit above the shoulders. There’s always going to be concussions in tackles i.e. the tackler puts their head in the wrong place, but the lazy ones that put an arm out without thinking need a long holiday on the side and a monetary fine

This... all about protecting the head.

 

[footy75]

Yet again the AFL is going under the radar. While the NRL is getting slammed with law suits. Just like Murdoch picking league not AFL

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03...oins-planned-concussion-class-action/10915086

 

[muzby]

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

After all of the talk this week

How should RL reduce the concussion impact ?

Biggest time it ever occurred in the past was off the kickoff now after the introduction of the 10m rule and interchanges it happens way more regularly

One option tried at junior level was to reduce the 10m rule back to 5m

Any other options ?

Bring back continuous live rucks.

 

[siv]

Probably more whiplash to the brain in this than in a RL tackle

 

[Frailty]

The game already has rules in regards to contact with the head - the MRC and Judiciary just need to imply them.

The shoulder charge rule was brought in to minimise concussions but decreasing the amount of force, and generally it is out of the game.

There needs to be stronger management of players who suffer a concussion. Michael Morgan leaves a game following an HIA assessment, and then a week and a half and he is back on the field in an Origin game, and then gets knocked out cold. Any player that fails an HIA should be immediately sat out for 2 weeks minimum.

Any player than needs to be removed from the field for an head injury assessment should not be back in the game.

 

[Smirrors]

Make head gear compulsory!

 

[unforgiven]

Make head gear compulsory!

Head gear doesn't help concussions.