10/19/2009 - 10:59am

Harvard Hockey Team First to Use New Type of Helmet to Reduce Concussions

Ice hockey is another sport where players suffer concussions on a regular basis. The NFL has already produced a study that showed how ex-NFL players suffer from a higher percentage of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related disease than does the regular population. It is thought that concussions and continuous hits to the head cause cognitive problems in later years.

Harvard’s equipment manager, John O’Donnell has purchased a new type of helmet for the Harvard Hockey Team to help reduce the number of head injuries, to make the game safer and to keep players off the bench and in the game.

The helmet, called the M11 is designed by Cascade Sports in collaboration with former NHL player Mark Messier and his sister Mary-Kay Messier. No helmet can be concussion proof but the M11 has three important features that increase safety. 90% of the helmet is made from a single shell, so it provides more protection on impact. The helmet also has a contour system for better fit- the better the fit, the safer the helmet. The most important feature though is the helmet’s “Seven Technology,” which displaces energy absorbed from a direct impact laterally, allowing the helmet to sustain multiple hits and still retain a constant level of protection.

Cascade says that the M11 outperformed other helmets that were tested. Regular helmets are made of polypropylene (EPP) foam. After the first hit, the M11 performed 26% better than the EPP helmets. On the second impact the helmet performed 107% better than the EPP helmets and on the third impact, 140%.
Harvard’s hockey team is the first Division I team to use the helmets and this may influence other schools to use the new helmet in an effort to cut down on concussions in youth leagues, college leagues and even in the NHL.

Harvard’s training program includes a baseline cognitive screening of each student athlete before they play. If an athlete sustains a concussion while playing, the training staff can conduct another cognitive test and compare the results with the baseline test to see if there is any cognitive decline, appraise the seriousness of the injury and track the player’s health.

There is no way to cut out concussions completely; it is part of the game. Harvard’s head coach, Ted Donato said that there are a lot more concussions than people realize. It is a big concern for coaches, teams and medical staff. The aim of the new helmet is to keep the players healthy and playing. As O’Donnell said: “We’re trying to keep kids in the lineup. We’re trying to give them the best they can wear and we’re trying to protect them.”