2nd Skull Protective Headgear for Athletes
Feb. 28, 2018 /Jen/Jen is on a Journey/ — Last June something happened to my son that made my world stop and spin even for just a few brief moments. It was a complete accident, but an event that every parent dreads happening to their child in any type of sporting event. My husband, daughter and I were just away for a few minutes, when we returned to the baseball field we noticed that game play had been stalled. There was a crowd of our team talking quietly on the mound and busy activity in the dugout. From left field, I scanned the numbers on the jerseys and I didn’t see my son’s. We asked another spectator what had happened, he told us the third baseman was hit…that was my son! Running to the dugout felt like slow-motion and I was stopped at the entrance by a man in uniform that told me to relax and that everything “seemed to be okay.” My son was hit in the head above his ear with a baseball and was knocked unconscious to the ground. Fortunately he came to fairly quickly and for whatever thankful reason there was a fire engine in the area that was quickly on the scene. The ambulance ride to Stanford Children’s Hospital was a blur, but I was reassured by the paramedic beside my son that he was passing all the cognitive tests that follow this type of accident. After 30 hours in the hospital, 2 MRIs, a CT Scan, and many doctors visiting him, he was released. He had suffered a hairline fracture to the skull and his outlook was positive with complete healing to occur within the next 3 months.
After many weeks of physical therapy, rehab, and overcoming fears, my son was back on the baseball field with some added protection. We bought Kevlar plates to insert into his baseball cap while on the field. Over the next few months we had some extra reassurance of safety if he were to get hit again. Now as he is gearing up for varsity high school baseball, we were introduced to 2nd Skull, a manufacturer of a patented protective skull cap that fits under helmets that will help improve safety and lessen the impact of a blow to the head while at bat. The skull cap is a compressive cap with an extra thin layer of XRD® Technology, an extreme energy absorbing material. This material is made with special urethane molecules that are soft and flexible at rest and then momentarily harden under sudden pressure. That’s some amazing science right there!
The 2nd Skull products come in both a cap for helmet sports and a band for non helmet sports, the cap can be worn alone for standalone protection. The cap my son received is flexible, thin, and comfortable and pulls on like any snug beanie you’d wear in the winter. My son has longer hear on top, but the fabric is moisture-wicking, antimicrobial, and hand-washable to fend off any odors.
Sliding his helmet over the 2nd Skull cap, it’s a comfortable fit. The cap comes in 3 sizes based on head circumference, measurement should be above the eyebrows and tight to the head to ensure the correct fit. The cap is just barely noticeable in the front or back of helmet.
2nd Skull conducted biomechanical testing at independent labs in North America and the United Kingdom that has shown the skull cap reduces both rotational and linear impact when worn under football and other athletic helmets thanks to Poron XRD, the padding material.
Watch the video above on the impact absorption of the 2nd Skull material.
Sports injuries are in the news lately as former athletes are showing signs lasting effects from repeated blows to the head. We were told by physicians that if my son was hit on the other side of the head, other problems like speech issues could have occurred. Head injuries as a result of any impact are nothing to ignore, and looking out for the best interests of my children is my number one priority. My son wants to continue to play sports as long as his body can handle it. If wearing a 2nd Skull cap beneath his helmet will help absorb potential impact force and add protection to his head, I’m going to make sure he’s got it on each time he steps up to the plate! If he decides to play basketball next season, I’ll be sure to add the 2nd Skull band to his sports bag.
For more information, videos, and testing information, visit the website, 2ndSkull.com.
**Scientists have not reached agreement on how the results of impact absorption tests relate to neck, head, or brain injuries, including concussions. No conclusions about a reduction of risk or severity of neck, head, or brain injuries, including concussions, should be drawn from impact absorption tests.
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