Understanding Proper Football Helmet Fit
An properly fitted football helmet is essential protective gear for youth, high school, college, and professional football players. However, the majority of players wind up wearing incorrectly sized helmets that fail to meet all criteria for appropriate fit and safety.
Helmet Fit Standards
According to research, almost 3 out of 4 youth football players have ill-fitting helmets. Proper helmet sizing should adhere to several key criteria:
- Snug fit with no spaces between the pads and players head
- Forehead just above brow line when front rim is pressed down
- Yokes aligned with the ear holes and jawbone
- Chin strap centered between chin and adams apple
Many players unfortunately believe helmets should feel excessively tight for maximum protection. However, an overly tight helmet fails safety standards.
Risks of Helmets Too Tight
Helmets fitted too tightly on a player's head pose a number of risks including:
- Discomfort and headache leading to not wearing helmet properly
- Skin irritation, bruising, and pressure sores
- Reduced blood flow to the scalp
- Greater movement of the helmet upon impact
This excessive helmet mobility during hits diminishes the equipment's shock absorbing capacity. Tighter does not equal safer in terms of helmet fit.
Risks of Loose Helmet Fit
On the other hand, a helmet worn too loosely also fails to properly protect a player by:
- Allowing the helmet to slide horizontally on impact
- Enabling gaps between padding and player's head
- Positioning components like facemasks dangerously
- Impairing structural reinforcement of helmet
With loose pads, the force of collision physically pushes the helmet out of place instead of the helmet absorbing the impact for the brain.
Impacts from Poor Helmet Fit
Wearing ill-fitting helmets therefore significantly heightens young athletes risk of impacts like:
- Concussion and other traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord nerve damage or paralysis if helmet shifts
- Skull fractures or intracranial bleeding
- Facial fractures, dental injuries, or cuts
These consequences demonstrate the importance of proper education, fit testing, and regulations around helmet safety in youth sports leagues.
Getting a Proper Football Helmet Fit
Achieving an precisely fitted helmet is essential for all football players. Here's how to get ideal fit.
Work with Your League and Trainer
The first step lies with football associations and coaches prioritizing fit testing, especially for younger players undergoing growth spurts during a season. Leagues should bring in helmet vendors to size athletes properly.
Get Professionally Fitted Each Season
As young bodies grow and change, helmets require refitting yearly before each new season even if the equipment is fairly new. Schedule an appointment with an experienced vendor.
Follow Manufacturer Guidelines Carefully
Reputable helmet makers offer fitting instructions detailing exactly how to size and adjust equipment for full safety. Review and implement these specs thoroughly when getting fitted.
Speak Up About Discomfort
Players sometimes hesitate to admit when padding causes headaches or neck soreness out of machismo. But minor pain signifies improper fit requiring adjustment so always vocalize any discomfort.
Watch for Impacts Shifting Helmet
Closely inspect how snugly your helmet stays on your head after any collisions with other players or turf. If it moves excessively, the fit likely needs refining through tightening or padding replacement.
Consider Custom-Molded Options If Needed
Some athletes with very unusually shaped heads struggle getting off-the-shelf helmets to fit safely. Custom helmet molding services create equipment specifically tailored for atypical head dimensions though more expensive.
Protecting Youth in Football
While a hot debate continues around youth tackle football safety, leagues can better protect young athletes through heightened helmet fit focus.
Pass Stricter Safety Regulations
State high school athletics associations can establish mandates around checking helmet fit multiple times per season and requiring re-fit if issues emerge.
Train Coaches on Helmet Fit
Certification processes for youth sport coaches should contain education on recognizing proper helmet sizing versus warning signs of poor fit and heightened injury risk.
Prioritize Helmet FIT Testing
Leagues should integrate advanced helmet testing systems like the FIT CAP machine recording fit deficiencies needing correction into pre-season preparation.
Consider Limiting Full Contact
Enforcing limits on amount of allowed full contact tackling during practices may reduce subconcussive head traumas among developing kids.
Emphasize Proper Tackling Approach
Coaches must instill keeping the head up and leading contact with the shoulder as the only acceptable technique to decrease helmet impacts.
Though no measures fully eliminate football's innate risks, optimized helmet safety represents one key way to enhance protection of youthful players.
FAQs
What are the risks of wearing a football helmet too tightly?
Overly tight helmets cause discomfort, skin injuries, reduced blood flow, and increased helmet movement upon impact rather than absorbing collision.
How often should football players get helmet refitted?
Growing young athletes should be professionally re-fitted for proper helmet size before every new season even if gear still appears functional.
Can custom-molded helmets help certain players?
For athletes with unusually shaped heads struggling to achieve good off-the-shelf helmet fit, custom molding services make tailored protective gear.
What tackling approach best minimizes helmet impacts?
Coaches must drill keeping heads up during contact and leading tackles with the shoulder instead of the helmet.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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