| WE KNOW WHAT YOUR
THINKING... ISN'T THAT WHAT THE HELMET IS FOR?
WELL YES AND NO. THE
USE OF HELMETS IN CONTACT SPORTS PROTECTS THE PLAYER FORM HEAD INJURIES THAT
WOULD BE INFLICTED FROM DIRECT CONTACT TO THE SKULL BUT THEY DO NOT PROTECT THE
PLAYER FROM BRAIN INJURIES THAT ARE RECEIVED THROUGH JAW CONTACT.
WHEN A
PLAYER RECEIVES AN IMPACT IN THE JAW AREA WHETHER IT BE DIRECT OR THROUGH A
FACEGUARD THE LOWER JAW IS FORCED UPWARDS AND IMPACTS WITH THE SKULL. THIS
IS WHAT CAUSES CONCUSSIONS, JAW INJURIES, SPEECH IMPAIRMENTS AND EVEN PERMANENT
BRAIN DAMAGE.
PLEASE VIEW THE DIAGRAMS TO THE
LEFT- DIAGRAM 1 IS NORMAL JAW POSITION - DIAGRAM 2 IS JAW POSITION
DURING IMPACT. |