Contact in Practice, Not Games, Has Significant Impact on Head Hits in Youth Football

According to a study conducted at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Virginia Tech, contact during practice – not games – is the most significant factor when measuring the number and force of head hits in youth football leagues. This finding is important since 70 percent of football players in the United States are under the age of 14 but most studies assess head hits in mostly college and high school players. Researchers believe that modifying practice can cut incidents of head hits in half without affecting the game. “We hope that the findings will help improve the safety of youth football through rule changes to limit contact in practices, coach training and equipment design, especially in developing youth-specific helmets to better reduce accelerations from head impacts,” one researcher said. Click here to read the full story.