Mouthguards
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@NTA said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
There are a few articles saying mouthguard protection against concussion is a tenuous link at best. There are others saying it may reduce likelihood of concussion.
.Custom-made mouthguards reduce athletes' risk of concussion, study shows
High school football players wearing store-bought, over-the-counter mouthguards were more than twice as likely to suffer mild traumatic brain injuries/concussions than those wearing custom-made, properly fitted mouthguards, reports a new study. Researchers suggest that when it comes to buying a...
Custom-made mouthguards reduce athletes' risk of concussion, study shows
Date: May 1, 2014
Source: Academy of General Dentistry
Summary: High school football players wearing store-bought, over-the-counter mouthguards were more than twice as likely to suffer mild traumatic brain injuries/concussions than those wearing custom-made, properly fitted mouthguards, reports a new study. Researchers suggest that when it comes to buying a mouthguard, parents who want to reduce their child's risk of a sports-related concussion should visit a dentist instead of a sporting goods store."... Many variables contribute to MTBI/concussion injuries, and mouthguards -- whose primary function is protecting the teeth -- cannot completely prevent them from occurring. Previous studies have theorized that mouthguards can reduce concussion risk, however, because they help absorb shock, stabilize the head and neck, and limit movement caused by a direct hit to the jaw.
Is the control group those who don't wear mouthguards? Have they looked back at their school results to see what shape they were in BEFORE the test?
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@NTA well if it reduces the risk of a concussion just a little bit, surely that is worth it?
I have always worn them, but agree you need a quality one fitted otherwise they are cumbersome and can become annoying and inhibit breathing...I expect the ABs get given thier and wil lbe custom fitted, not some they have to go to Rebel to buy themselves.
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@taniwharugby we had a young bloke playing wing in our Second Grade a few years back - around 185cm and maybe 110kg, and fast. Would not wear a mouthguard and was very shy lowering himself into contact. Said they made it hard to breathe.
So does having your teeth broken and your mouth filling up with blood. Not from tackling - from getting punched in the head after letting in another try that was a regulation cover tackle!
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@NTA said in Mouthguards:
There are a few articles saying mouthguard protection against concussion is a tenuous link at best. There are others saying it may reduce likelihood of concussion.
.
High school football players wearing store-bought, over-the-counter mouthguards were more than twice as likely to suffer mild traumatic brain injuries/concussions than those wearing custom-made, properly fitted mouthguards, reports a new study. Researchers suggest that when it comes to buying a...
Custom-made mouthguards reduce athletes' risk of concussion, study shows
Date: May 1, 2014
Source: Academy of General Dentistry
Summary: High school football players wearing store-bought, over-the-counter mouthguards were more than twice as likely to suffer mild traumatic brain injuries/concussions than those wearing custom-made, properly fitted mouthguards, reports a new study. Researchers suggest that when it comes to buying a mouthguard, parents who want to reduce their child's risk of a sports-related concussion should visit a dentist instead of a sporting goods store."... Many variables contribute to MTBI/concussion injuries, and mouthguards -- whose primary function is protecting the teeth -- cannot completely prevent them from occurring. Previous studies have theorized that mouthguards can reduce concussion risk, however, because they help absorb shock, stabilize the head and neck, and limit movement caused by a direct hit to the jaw.
'stabilize the head and neck, and limit movement caused by a direct hit to the jaw'
Again, how?
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@antipodean said in Mouthguards:
absorb shock
seems missed from your quoting...if you read it with that in it, it makes sense, take it away and I understand your scepticism.
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@taniwharugby said in Mouthguards:
@antipodean said in Mouthguards:
absorb shock
seems missed from your quoting...if you read it with that in it, it makes sense, take it away and I understand your scepticism.
I read them as stand alone claims. And wearing a mouth guard doesn't stabilise the neck. How does a blow to the head anywhere else other than the mouth guard reduce the momentum of the brain?
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@antipodean well I still disagree that your quoting is selective, but anyway....maybe direct your questions to the scientists or whoever does the reporting/studies instead of some plebs who spend thier days talking/arguing about shit on the internet?
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@taniwharugby said in Mouthguards:
@antipodean well I still disagree that your quoting is selective,
Yeah, like 'Previous studies have theorized'.
but anyway....maybe direct your questions to the scientists or whoever does the reporting/studies instead of some plebs who spend thier days talking/arguing about shit on the internet?
Well I guess we should stop discussing most topics then.
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@antipodean well no, but do you really think we are going to be able to properly answer that question for you, or to a level that is going to satisfy you?
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@NTA said in Mouthguards:
Correct tackle technique - biting down (clench), tongue on the roof of the mouth - will stabilise the neck.
You know they're different muscles, yeah?
Having a shock absorber between your teeth will assist with dispersing the vibration from impact.
Not really. The biomechanics of brain injury are the intense acceleration and rotational forces it is subjected to. Hence why helmets have foam inside to reduce peak acceleration.
Wearing a mouth guard doesn't change angular velocity from a oblique impact. The brain isn't rigidly fixed inside the head, hence why it suffers damage to the tissue, nerves and blood vessels as they stretch or impact the skull.
@taniwharugby said in Mouthguards:
@antipodean well no, but do you really think we are going to be able to properly answer that question for you, or to a level that is going to satisfy you?
I wasn't expecting you to come up with an answer. The point of the question was to highlight a glaring issue with the theory. That's before we acknowledge the self-serving nature of the research; get a mouth guard fitted by our members.
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@antipodean said in Mouthguards:
@NTA said in Mouthguards:
Correct tackle technique - biting down (clench), tongue on the roof of the mouth - will stabilise the neck.
You know they're different muscles, yeah?
You know they don't operate in isolation, yeah?
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@taniwharugby said in Mouthguards:
I think this is poor form, I notice a number of players ABs and Super rugby dont seem to wear them, does set a poor example for kids who have to wear them and are told they will be be sent off the field if they are not wearing them.
My view is if Savea doesn't want to wear a mouth guard what's the issue. Its different to say rules on boot studs or head tackles as this can affect other players. But if he doesn't wear a mouth guard it only impacts him. Maybe get him to sign a form confirming that he understands the risks but otherwise let him wear or not wear them
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@antipodean well given I know someone who has had multiple concussions during his rugby career, now suffering severe dementia, if a mouthguard is going to help reduce risk/impact by only 1%, then thats fine by me.
@Winger NZ RPA agreement, so that becomes an employment issue I expect.
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@NTA said in Mouthguards:
@antipodean said in Mouthguards:
@NTA said in Mouthguards:
Correct tackle technique - biting down (clench), tongue on the roof of the mouth - will stabilise the neck.
You know they're different muscles, yeah?
You know they don't operate in isolation, yeah?
You have to tense your neck to close your mouth?
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@antipodean said in Mouthguards:
@NTA said in Mouthguards:
Correct tackle technique - biting down (clench), tongue on the roof of the mouth - will stabilise the neck.
You know they're different muscles, yeah?
Having a shock absorber between your teeth will assist with dispersing the vibration from impact.
Not really. The biomechanics of brain injury are the intense acceleration and rotational forces it is subjected to. Hence why helmets have foam inside to reduce peak acceleration.
Wearing a mouth guard doesn't change angular velocity from a oblique impact. The brain isn't rigidly fixed inside the head, hence why it suffers damage to the tissue, nerves and blood vessels as they stretch or impact the skull.
@taniwharugby said in Mouthguards:
@antipodean well no, but do you really think we are going to be able to properly answer that question for you, or to a level that is going to satisfy you?
I wasn't expecting you to come up with an answer. The point of the question was to highlight a glaring issue with the theory. That's before we acknowledge the self-serving nature of the research; get a mouth guard fitted by our members.
a mouth guard will help absorb some of the shock of the lower jaw slamming into the upper and the associated shock through the head, no one has said they stop all kinds of concussion...but they do help with some, plus things like teeth and jaw damage
