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AMSSM Sports Medcasts

Guardian Caps and Sport-Related Concussion Risk in High School Football Players

Feb 7, 2025
Dr. Erin Hammer, a sports medicine physician from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and team physician for Badger football, shares her award-winning research on Guardian Caps and their impact on concussion risk in high school football. The conversation delves into the effectiveness of these helmet add-ons, revealing that they may not significantly reduce concussion rates. Hammer emphasizes the need for thorough validation of safety products and discusses opportunities for aspiring researchers in the field of sports medicine.
20:48

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Dr. Hammer's research found no significant reduction in concussion rates among high school football players using Guardian caps compared to standard helmets.
  • The podcast emphasizes the critical need for evidence-based approaches in sports safety, advocating for resource allocation towards trained athletic trainers over untested equipment.

Deep dives

Research Focus on Concussion Prevention

The podcast discusses the ongoing concern of sport-related concussions, particularly in high school football. Research is primarily focused on tertiary prevention, addressing symptoms post-concussion. However, there have been minimal advancements in primary prevention strategies, which aim to reduce the incidence of concussions before they occur. Dr. Erin Hammer's research examined the effectiveness of Guardian caps, which are helmet add-on shell devices designed to prevent concussions, but there has been a lack of real-world evidence supporting their claimed benefits.

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