Study shows hurling and camogie players not wearing quality helmets at higher risk of serious injury

Senior intercounty hurling and camogie players not wearing helmets meeting quality standards are at a higher risk of serious injury, a new study shows.

The GAA needs to have helmets inspected before games begin and that the Association needs to enforce the rules of players wearing this vital piece of protective gear that meets the IS355 standard, the Cork based authors recommend.

129 potential injuries were identified which resulted in the player not being involved in the game for at least five seconds in 56 hurling games, with 86 per cent of these involving non-standard helmets.

A worrying 5.5 per cent of injuries with non-standard helmets drew blood compared to zero per cent with standard. Non-standard helmets resulted in game stoppage that was 4.5 times longer.

This in turn leads to more serious injuries and longer stoppages in play along with leading to a significant financial cost to the GAA.

The study, A Video Analysis of Helmet Area Injuries and Helmet Type Worn in Hurling and Camogie Over 2 Seasons, in this month’s Irish Medical Journal also shows that seven potential injuries were identified in camogie with 43 per cent of these events involving players wearing non-standard helmets.

Injuries accounted for 51 per cent as a result of players not wearing head protection, 35 per cent when wearing helmets without face-guards and fiche per cent when helmets with full face-guards are worn.

Players sustaining a potential helmet area injury while wearing a non-standard helmet resulted in 4.5 times greater stoppage in game time.

There were 24 helmet area injuries, costing €18,710, in the hurling Insurance Benefit Fund.

In the report, 100 per cent of injuries were reported as players wearing standard helmets.

The results