Looking for CTE data comparing NFL to NCAA players, and
by T-Bone (2019-04-13 10:45:50)

especially any significant differences among various NCAA divisions. Yes, I did Google.


CTE can only be confirmed at death.
by R2D2isAMeanDrunk  (2019-04-13 11:24:10)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

There are CTE-like symptoms, there are concussions, but CTE itself is only measured after they can examine the brain. That's going to significantly change any population-level studies, as NFL players will be older and I would expect to have dramatically more impacts.

What may be an effective substitute is to look at the helmet testing criteria. The NFL and Virginia Tech both publish their own standards for what qualifies as a good helmet. Both are attempts to produce a single number for every helmet based on all the different types of impacts football players across the sport receive. It's a living spec, meaning as new data comes in, they're revising what a good helmet means. For example, they have found significant levels of concussions are the result of impacts to the side of the head versus the crown of the head. Similarly, hits that rotate the head versus just a straight on contact are also significant contributors to concussions, and most helmets can only mitigate direct impacts (foam only compresses in one direction).

It's pretty obvious to me that there will be a need for position-specific helmets very soon, to account for the nature of different impacts in different roles.


They really need more data on CTE
by weirdo0521  (2019-04-15 09:52:46)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

from the general public, and those who never played contact sports. At least they do if they want to get a real reading on what the results of participating in those sports is.