BACK TO SCHOOL: Is refurbishing a football helmet enough to keep athletes safe?

Posted By Nadine Diaz

The helmet: the last piece of equipment a football player puts on his body before entering a game and, yet, by far the most important. And at a time when sports-related concussion concerns have been heightened by links to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma, most high school programs are taking measures to improve helmet quality.

Football helmets need proper reconditioning for optimal performance. While teams must recondition their helmets every other year, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE^®) recommends annual service.

Throughout the course of the season, helmets endure the rigors of football—practice games, heat, sweat, scratches, lockers and damage to decals. To ensure proper safety, it’s important that helmets are inspected and tested in multiple ways, multiple times, including air liner tests and meticulous shell inspections. Annual maintenance prolongs the effective life of the equipment and advance player protection.

If your child is playing football this season, take the time to ensure his helmet meets the safety requirements set forth by the National Operating Committee of Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE^®). Visit the site to learn more about keeping student athletes safe this football season.

The personal injury law firm of Darrigo & Diaz has been serving clients throughout the Tampa Bay area since 1999 and is an esteemed member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®. Led by Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, Nadine Diaz, the firm specializes in traumatic brain injuries, auto accidents, slip and fall injuries, products liability, premises liability, and all other types of personal injury accidents.

Call 813-774-3341 today to schedule a free case evaluation with our highly-experienced, highly-praised team.