An Idaho State University study has found most high school football players are wearing helmets that don't fit and aren't property maintaining the inflatable lining inside their helmets.
The University’s research finds nearly 98 percent of its participants played football in a helmet that required regular inflation of the liner, 43 percent of those respondents said they’ve never re-inflated their helmet liners.
The inflatable liners are meant to make a better-fitting helmet and to absorb impact when hit in the head.
The study was completed by an ISU associate professor and director of the Center for Sports Concussion, Caroline Faure, along with graduate assistant Aaron Armstrong.
“Based on our findings, we concluded that more effort needs to be directed towards teaching coaches how to properly fit football helmets and on educating coaches and athletes on the need for regular helmet air maintenance,” Faure said.
The pair surveyed 261 high school football players from 12 programs in the intermountain West.
ISU’s study concludes one-in-five high school football players are wearing helmets that didn’t fit properly, which can increase the chance of concussion.
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