Football is a thrilling fall sport, but it comes with some danger – especially from hard hits and tackles. A well-fitted helmet helps keep players safe by protecting the skull, eyes, teeth and jaw. It uses strong materials, padding and secure straps to absorb and spread out the force of collisions.
How Helmets Shield Your Head and Jaw
A helmet’s design includes multiple parts that work together to protect the brain from injury.
- Outer shell: A hard polycarbonate cover spreads the energy from a hit across a wide area. This helps lower the chance of skull and brain injury.
- Inner padding: Layers of foam cushion the head by absorbing shock.
- Face mask: Sturdy bars guard the orbital bones, nose bridge, and teeth.
- Jaw padding: Cushioned inserts under the chin and jaw reduce the risk of jaw fractures and tooth damage.
- Chin strap: A snug strap keeps the helmet from sliding during play. Proper adjustment helps maintain protection and prevents the helmet from shifting during collisions.
- Visors and shields: Clear plastic visors can be clipped onto the face mask to shield your eyes from collisions, debris, bright lights and accidental finger pokes.
- Mouth guards: Sometimes attached to the helmet by a strap, mouth guards protect and cushion the teeth and jaws from injury during play.
Find the Right Fit
Your helmet won’t offer as much protection if it doesn’t fit correctly. Work with your coaches or the staff at a sporting goods store to find a helmet that is the right size and shape for your head.
New Tech for Better Protection
From basic leather caps to modern plastic marvels, football helmets have evolved quite a bit over the years. This is especially true at the college and professional level, where new technology continues to make the sport safer:
- Flexible outer shells: Modern materials bend slightly on impact to reduce force transfer to the skull.
- Smart sensors: Built-in impact sensors track hit force in real time, alerting coaches to possible head injuries.
- Position-specific designs: Helmets made for quarterbacks or linemen use shape and padding tuned to the types of hits each position faces.
- Custom 3D-printed padding: Pro teams can scan a player’s head to create padding that fits perfectly, boosting comfort and safety.
Play safe – and Don’t Forget Your Mouth Guard!
Helmets protect your head, jaw and eyes, but a mouth guard is still essential! A well-fitted mouth guard cushions your teeth and gums against direct hits. This greatly reduces risk for chipped teeth, dental injuries and facial lacerations.
