Head-Down Contact and Spearing in Football

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Head-Down Contact and Spearing in Football
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Why Are We Here Today ?
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(No Transcript)
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High Profile Injuries from Helmet to Helmet Hits
Drew Hixon
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High Profile Injuries from Helmet to Helmet Hits
Reggie Brown
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NATA/AFCA Spearing in FootballTask ForceJanuary
11, 2005 Louisville, KY
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Head-Down Contact and Spearing

• Development of improved helmet technology has led
  to increased use of the head at contact, both
  intentional and unintentional

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Head-Down Contact and Spearing

• Catastrophic cervical spine injuries are among
  the most devastating injuries in all of sports
• Axial loading is the primary mechanism for
  catastrophic cervical spine injuries
• as a result of head-down contact and spearing
• whether intentional or unintentional

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AXIAL LOADINGHead-Down Contact and Spearing
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AXIAL LOADINGHead-Down Contact and Spearing
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Chuckie MullinsDied from complications related
to cervical quadriplegia
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Mechanism of Injury
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Mechanism of Injury
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NCAA Football 2005 Rules and InterpretationsAppr
oved April 2005

• Rule 2, Section 24 Spearing
• Article 1. Spearing is the use of the helmet
  (including the face mask) in an attempt to punish
  an opponent.
• Rule 9, Section 1 Contact and Interference Fouls
• L. No player shall use his helmet (including the
  face mask) to butt or ram an opponent or attempt
  to punish him.
• M. There shall be no spearing.
• N. No player shall strike a runner with the crown
  or the top of his helmet in an attempt to punish
  him.

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Who is at Risk?
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PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND NECK

• head-down contact and spearing poses a risk to
  all position players regardless of intent

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Safest Contact Technique

• Always make contact with your shoulder while
  keeping your head up

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NFL Poster NCAA Poster
Draft
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PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND NECK

• An ounce of prevention
• is worth a pound of
• cure
• Ben Franklin, 1775
• For cervical
• quadriplegia there is
• no cure
• Joe Torg, MD 1975
• National FB Head Neck Injury Registry

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Head-Down Contact and Spearing in Football