National Athletic Trainers’ Association aims to reduce head-first contact in football
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association has released an updated position statement aimed at reducing the incidence of intentional head-first contact in American football players, according to a press release.
The position statement, published in the Journal of Athletic Training, is an update to a 2004 position statement from National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) on “head-down” contact and “spearing” among American football players.
The association proposed 14 recommendations for certified athletic trainers, allied health care providers, coaches, players and parents, which may help to reduce head and neck injuries. Some recommendations included the following:
- consistent, contemporary education for players on the dangers of head-first contact in football;
- evidence-based progressive techniques for avoiding head-first contact behavior during ball carrying, tackling and blocking;
- practice structures to reinforce proper and safe tackling;
- penalties or fines for head-first contact behavior, spearing or targeting for players of all positions; and
- research and technology for protective equipment and techniques that provide injury-prevention benefits.
“Head impacts in American football, at all levels of play, are frequent, vary in severity and pose particular risk for acute head and neck injuries with an increasing concern that they may contribute to chronic brain injuries. In the past decade, new technologies have allowed us to track and measure head-first impacts with greater accuracy,” Erik E. Swartz, PhD, ATC, FNATA, lead author of the published statement, said in the release. He added, “We hope athletic trainers and other members of the sports medicine team along with coaches, administrators, parents, players and the broader community at large will work together to ensure clear communication and education.”
Reference:
https://www.nata.org/press-release/030222/national-athletic-trainers%E2%80%99-association-position-statement-reducing-intentional
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts