Brain protection is required for all sports, not just rugby – this headwear offers extra peace of mind
Brain protection is important in all sports – not just rugby – and this British company is leading the way with protective headgear.
Given the concerns over the short- and long-term consequences of concussion, a wealth of new products and changes to sports policy, laws and practice conditions (e.g., contact levels, tacking techniques) aimed at reducing concussion risk have been introduced.
Despite the perceived protection offered by rugby headgear, scrum caps are “not intended nor expected to protect against any form of mild traumatic brain injury or skull fractures” – World Rugby Regulation*
The global governing body, World Rugby has designed the approval standard for headgear, but this does not offer protection from brain trauma, says Judith McMinn, founder and CEO of Rezon, which has studied the evidence to help devise and produce headgear designed to protect the brain.
She explained the governing body’s guidelines encourage players to protect themselves, rather than specifying the use of safety equipment. Consequently, headgear compliant with World Rugby regulations are not intended or expected to protect against any form of concussion, sub-concussions or skull fractures.
“Against the rising concern of brain injury across contact and collision sports, the narrative has become unfairly focused on rugby, with little appreciation of the wider context of brain injury from head impacts across other sports at all levels,” says Judith.
How do head impacts injure our brain?
In rugby, just like every other sport, head impacts increase the risk of brain injury in the short and longer term including the development of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), an early onset dementia that typically occurs in ages 30-50 but can occur in teenagers and is a condition almost unique to contact and collision sports players.
Over 850 former amateur and professional rugby union and league players are part of legal actions against rugby governing bodies, with the claimants contending that governing bodies failed to protect them from concussion – related injuries and long term neurological consequences including CTE sustained during their playing careers.**
“While the current focus is on concussion in sport, there is a significant lack of awareness and understanding of possibly the greatest threat to the brain in rugby and other sports: sub-concussions. These are the small force impacts that damage brain cell function, but do not produce evident signs or symptoms of concussion, so they go unnoticed,” explained Judith. “Sub-concussions are over 500 times more common than concussions in sport. Significantly the risk and severity of CTE is caused primarily by the cumulative damage of multiple sub-concussions, and not by concussions.***
“In every concussion and sub-concussion there are rotational forces present; these cause the brain to rotate inside the skull and the creation of damaging neuro-inflammation. Reducing rotational forces to the brain is essential to lower the risk of neuro-inflammation.”
New technology to protect the brain from impacts
A UK company based in Durham, Rezon has focused on developing protective headgear that uniquely understands the physicality of the brain to rotational forces and the mechanics of brain injury from sub-concussions. Rezon has developed Halos®, a protective headband with patented multi-layered technology that reduces rotational forces by up to 61% in concussive and sub- concussive head impacts, based on an independent assessment by Virginia Tech helmet lab, a leading independent test house with a globally accepted biomechanics methodology on headgear. Halos® is the world's lightest and thinnest brain protective, award winning and ground-breaking as the first non-helmeted sports headgear to have secured CE (PPE) safety certification, and is currently worn across 18 sports including rugby in 14 countries.
Brain protection matters for every sports player
The brain doesn't care if you're on the field for your team at the six nations, or an eight-year-old training for tag rugby – every impact in whatever sport or level of play counts and contributes to a potential massive lifetime dose of sub-concussions and rotational forces. Rezon is offering a pro-sport protective measure that is rooted in the science of effective brain protection and offering a choice around brain protection across sport.
In the words of former England rugby international Jason Hobson, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable CTE at 38: “Knowing lots of small force sub-concussions caused it [CTE]. I’m determined my boys protect their brain and wear Rezon Halos® to protect them!”
Learn More about Rezon Halos®
Rezon Halos® is the only sports headband proven to reduce the risk from concussions and sub-concussions. It’s a tried and tested product with independent testing across the UK and US, as well as EU CE legal certification.
Halos® is the only CE Category II PPE-certified protective headband globally. This is above any sporting governing body rules.
Reduces concussion risk by 74%, and reduces rotational forces by up to 61%, in concussive and sub-concussive impacts.****
Halos® is rated five stars by US testing body, Virginia Tech®.
After c. 1,500 sub-concussive impacts – Halos® still receives full marks against CE Certification criteria. Halos® lasts and protects.
To learn more – visit the website here
Further reading and research
*Read the World Rugby Regulations here
** Read this Law Society Gazette article here
*** Read more from Dr Emer MacSweeney, BSc (Hons), MRCP, FRCR, Consultant Neuroradiologist – about the “silent killer in sport” here
Disclaimer: Individuals with pre-existing neurological conditions should consult their doctor and take medical advice before using Halos®