Should Girls Lacrosse Players Wear the Same Helmets as Boys?

Examining Women's Lacrosse Helmets and Concussion Risk

Participation in high school girls lacrosse has grown rapidly over the past two decades. However, the women's game lacks a key protective element present in the boys version - mandated protective headgear. Exploring the role of women's lacrosse helmets reveals insights around safety gaps and opportunities to better prevent concussions.

Rising Popularity of Girls Lacrosse

Lacrosse continues gaining traction as one of the fastest growing youth sports in America. Much of this boost comes from rising female participation. Between 2001 to 2019 alone, the number of high school girls playing lacrosse climbed over 200% to reach 118,587 players nationally.

But this growth also sparks increased injury risk if safety protocols don't evolve in step. Concussions in particular have emerged as a pressing concern due to the often serious and lasting consequences posed.

Concussion Risk in Women's Lacrosse

Recent studies reveal concussions make up over 10% of all women's lacrosse injuries at the youth, high school and college level. Some analyses show female lacrosse players suffer almost 2x as many concussions as their male counterparts.

The higher concussion incidence extends across women's soccer, basketball and other traditionally "non contact" sports too compared to men. Multiple factors likely contribute to this gap - from neck strength differences to hormone effects.

But less robust protective gear requirements, like lacrosse helmets, also drive increased susceptibility in the women's game specifically.

Contrasting Boys and Girls Lacrosse Helmet Rules

Mandatory lacrosse helmets have protected male players at all competition levels for over two decades. Helmets must meet strict NOCSAE performance standards guarding against commonly occurring injury mechanisms.

For girls however, protective headgear remains optional through high school and only required in college by some Division I conferences. Even the permitted helmets allow less protective padding currently.

Cost and discomfort while running or stick handling argue against mandating helmets for female players. But reassessing this stance grows increasingly prudent from a safety perspective.

Research Shows Protective Effects of Better Headgear

Recently, sports injury experts directly studied if introducing improved women's lacrosse helmets impacts concussion outcomes. The University of North Carolina's STELAR lab conducted one influential analysis on this pressing topic.

Methodology of UNC's Analysis

The UNC research team utilized lab testing plus computer analytical models. They compared the performance of standard women's headgear against regulation boys' lacrosse helmets.

Parameters assessed included impact type, force load thresholds, and predicted concussion incidence. Researchers modeled the helmet performance on youth females given their heightened susceptibility.

Experts focused evaluations on side hits - one of the most dangerous incident types causing 53% of girls' game concussions. The overall analytical framework advanced the evidence-based understanding around options to drive better outcomes.

Key Findings on Improved Helmet Efficacy

Results published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine outlined clear takeaways:

• Current standard women's headgear provides suboptimal protection, particularly from side impact hits
• Introducing regulation boys' lacrosse helmets significantly increased force attenuation based on side hit simulations
• If mandated, improved helmets could prevent 44% of concussions modeled among high school female players

Authors concluded reinforcing helmet rules in girls lacrosse warrants timely consideration from sports governing bodies. Enhanced head safety aligns with injury data patterns and growth trajectory of the women's game.

Arguments For and Against Mandating Better Lacrosse Helmets

Discussions around introducing stricter lacrosse helmet regulations ignite some debate within the women's competition community.

Those against mandating gear changes voice concerns on cost, unfounded perception of the women's game as non-contact, and potential impacts on participation. However, experts counter that skill-building, culture andMDMElement149<> brackets removed equipment improvements all remain complementary for advancing safety.

Reasons Supporting Adoption of Improved Helmets

Proponents for strengthening girls' lacrosse headgear rules highlight recent evidence and several pragmatic factors including:

• Prevention of concussion and associated health risks outweigh uniforms costs
• Helmets already accepted in women's lacrosse at higher competition levels
• Parity with better protected boys further enables growth of the girls game
• Rule changes phase in over time allowing broader ecosystem preparation

Overall the stance holds that better helmets both protect and empower current and future participants as part of holistic safety progression.

Reasons Against Immediate Helmet Mandating

Those favoring the status quo on optional women's lacrosse headgear raise counter positions such as:

• Need to weigh potential unintended safety impacts of mandates broadly
• Concerns over athletic performance, perception drawbacks for female participation
• Suggests incremental adoption starting at higher competition levels first
• Calls for ongoing research given rapid evolution of helmet designs over time

In essence this view prefers letting current enhancements in coaching, officiating and better data guide culture changes ahead of rule changes.

The Path Ahead for Advancing Safety

Optimizing safety around girls participation in lacrosse will require continuing engagement between sports medicine researchers, regulators and community members themselves. But the overarching goal stays clear - encourage athletic growth while preventing avoidable harm, especially among youth.

Protecting female athletes aligns strongly with broader efforts promoting inclusion too. So from physical to policy dimensions, ensuring accessible protections factor prominently moving forward.

For lacrosse specifically, concussion risk data already point to the preventative value of bringing headgear standards between the men's and women's game more in line. Exploring regulatory changes here, as just one aspect of multi-dimensional safety strategies, helps strengthen the foundation as girls' involvement reaches new heights.

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.