N-Pro headgear reduces concussion risk
N-Pro produces revolutionary headgear that absorbs energy and decreases concussion risk
This season, Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw, St Kilda’s Patrick McCartin and most recently Carlton big man Matthew Kreuzer have all worn protective headgear called N-Pro, manufactured by Irish company Contego Sports.
The prestigious British Medical Journal Open Sport & Exercise Medicine (Nov 2018) published data on N-Pro headgear showing it reduces linear impacts by up to 75% in comparison to the use of a commercially available rugby head guard and repeated impacts did not impair the attenuation of impact energy. Rotational impact energy was also reduced by an average of 34% across three speeds and two sites of impact testing.
This heralds a new generation of soft headgear that could help reduce two primary risk factors in sports-induced mild traumatic brain injury: linear
and rotational impacts to the head.
N-Pro uses a combination of viscoelastic materials to absorb energy from impacts
The BMJ article highlights university tests showing a decrease in both linear and rotational acceleration, and significantly greater reductions than other common headgear on the market.
Importantly, the headgear was effective even after multiple impacts. They tested the product for repeated impacts to simulate 3 years of use using a pendulum impact rig, so that they could repeatedly impact the production a controlled manner, on the exact same test site. Even after nearly 2,000 impacts, the decrease in force (energy) transmitted through the material was significant.
Previously, it was true to say that headgear was about as much use as the packaging it came in: only good to protect the head from superficial lacerations and cauliflower ears.
N-Pro is a game-changer.
And a potential life saver.
