While playing sports is fun there is always the risk for an injury to occur. This is why football safety is an important aspect of the game that should not be ignored. Football is the leading cause of school sports injuries, and this is mostly due to the violent nature of the sport. Out on the football field, large bodies are colliding with one another and due to the momentum, they often hit one another with tremendous force. Nonetheless, many people play football despite the bodily consequences that often occur. Hitting and being hit is a part of the game, and because of this football injuries are extremely common among football players of all ages. Besides the typical aches and pains that come with playing a sport, football players are the most susceptible to concussions, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, as well as ankle sprains. It’s no surprise that football injuries are very common and can be serious enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room. However, many football injuries are preventable with the correct know-how. Practicing football safety can help prevent injuries from occurring, educates players on the importance of using proper technique, and helps ensure that players are playing within the rules. Part of practicing football safety is eating right, staying hydrated, warming up properly, playing smart, and by using the correct gear. Eating right, exercising, and warming up properly can keep your body in tip-top shape. This will pay off on the field by helping your athletic performance and can help prevent football injuries from occurring at the same time. In addition, using equipment that fits properly plays a huge role in player protection and football safety. Equipment such as the Kerr Football Neck Collar can help prevent player injuries. Allowing the player to continue playing the sport that they love.

Let’s Make Football Safer – A Step-By-Step Guide to Protecting Your Children from Injury

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Every parent is concerned for their son’s safety when he steps onto the football field. While not all injuries are completely preventable, there are steps you can take to make football safer for your kids.

By the time a boy is 15/16 years old, his head has reached 90% growth, but his neck is still developing and is not strong enough to support the forces generated from a football tackle.

Some steps to take to make your son safer on the football field are:

  1. One month prior to beginning contact in football, have him start wearing his football helmet around the house for at least 2 hours a day. The helmet weighs 4 to 5 pounds and can increase the weight of the head by 33%. Usually helmets are provided to players 3 days prior to contact. Three days is not enough time for the neck to react to the increased weight. Wearing the helmet one month prior to play will help their neck become stronger and prepare them for game time.
  2. Use neck machines and harnesses to build dynamic strength. Most football programs are incorporating neck strengthening as a way to help manage the forces of contact.  The neck is responsible for slowing down head movement and all experts agree that a stronger and bigger neck can reduce the risk of concussion.
    *Consult with your trainer before doing any of these exercises.
  3. Insert the Kerr Collar into shoulder pads for added protection to the head and neck. By inserting the Kerr Collar, we can turn the shoulder pads into a system that engages the helmet during contact to better manage the forces generated from a tackle.

Testing at Virginia Tech Center for Injury Biomechanics has proven that the Kerr Collar can reduce up to 58% of force transmission to the neck and reduce 38% of head and neck movement.

Helmets alone are not enough to protect our kids. Understanding what the head and neck are capable of is crucially important in reducing the risk of brain and spinal cord injury.

Jim Brown: NFL ‘way behind’ NASCAR

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Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, attending the Sprint Cup race at Pocono on Sunday, said the NFL has a ways to go to catch up with NASCAR in terms of safety improvements for the sport.

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