Research confirms injuries slashed by new helmets

The reduction of head and face injuries in hurling due to the introduction of helmets with face guards is the primary conclusion in a thesis by a Cork-based doctor which will be presented to GAA president Liam O’Neill at Croke Park today.

Dr Paddy Crowley is the author of The Prevention of Hurling and Camogie-Related Head Injuries as well as the founder of Mycro Sportsgear, the most popular helmet producer in the country.

In initially developing the helmet with a face guard in the 1980s, his research produced some eye-opening results.

“I had been doing my training in Canada,” he said, “just after there had been a similar move in ice hockey over there. In one year, eye injuries were eliminated and it led me to conclude that the same could happen in hurling.

“Before anything could be done, a study had to be undertaken on the profile of hurling injuries at the A&E departments of all Cork city hospitals. Back in 1984, when the only type of protection was little more than a skullcap with no face mask, facial and head injuries comprised 51% of the total. In 2014, that figure had been reduced to 4%, so this is a good-news story.”

With face guards mandatory at all levels in hurling since 2010, Dr Crowley believes that a comparison in figures since then would also be of value: “It’s a little early yet, but in a few years it would be a superb study,” he said. “Helmets have been compulsory at minor level since 2005, U21 since 2007 and then universal since 2010.

“There are young players now who have never had a day on a hurling pitch without a helmet, so evaluating that would be fascinating.”

Reducing hand injuries should be the next focus, he says.

“A lot of hand injuries could be prevented or limited with good coaching,” Crowley said.

“Not enough players go up with the hurley to protect the hand — in the old days it was probably the case that a lot used the hurley to protect the head too and there’s no need now with the helmet.

“Gloves are becoming more popular though, James Barry of Tipperary has one and Kevin Downes [of Limerick] wears two.

“I think we’ll soon see two gloves become the norm, as there are a lot of benefits and no drawbacks, tradition is probably the main thing slowing their usage down.”