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A major sports federation has mandated banning
headgear in amateur boxing competition in an
effort to reduce concussions and head trauma, a
decision that is thought to be a first in the sports
world.
Starting June 1, amateur, elite male boxers who
compete internationally no longer will be allowed
to use headgear in competition, according to
rules released this week by the International
Boxing Association, known as AIBA, which
oversees amateur boxing.
Concussions and brain trauma in contact sports
have been a concern for decades, and the risk
has drawn increased scrutiny with growing
evidence that they may be associated with a
dementia-like condition called chronic traumatic
encephalopathy among U.S. football players.
Removing the use of helmets or headgear has
been discussed as a counterintuitive way to
decrease brain injuries, with the idea being that
athletes wouldn't use their heads as weapons or
hit as hard if they didn't feel as protected. In
boxing, there also is the belief that headgear
makes it harder to see to the side to avoid blows,
and makes the head a bigger target.
There has been limited research to support this
change, but fresh data, still unpublished,
suggests the removal of headgear in elite, male
amateur boxing reduces the incidence of
concussion, according to the chairman of the
AIBA medical commission, Charles Butler, a
retired cardiac surgeon and ringside doctor, who
spearheaded the study that served as part of the
basis for the recommendation.
Concussion isn't much of an issue in women and
younger fighters who often lack the strength to
bring on concussions in competitors, and they
should continue to wear headgear to protect
themselves from cuts, according to Dr. Butler.
Professional boxers don't compete wearing
headgear.
Competitors do appear to be at greater risk of
cuts without headgear, according to the research
of Dr. Butler and others, but concussion is the
injury of greater concern, Dr. Butler said.
"If you get a cut it will heal; if you break a bone it
will heal," Dr. Butler said. "If you can't recognize
your grandchildren, it's a disaster." In addition,
glove technology has improved to help reduce the
impact of blows, he said.
"All available data indicated that the removal of
headguard in Elite Men would result in a
decreased number of concussions," the AIBA said
in a statement.
Some brain experts said they found the decision
surprising, and said they worry about a boxer who
gets hit and falls to the hard canvas.
But overall, the evidence for the value of helmets
is mixed.
Blaine Hoshizaki, director of the Neurotrauma
Impact Science Laboratory at the University of
Ottawa, said his and others' research shows that
headgear and gloves are able to decrease one
type of force known as linear acceleration, but not
rotational force, which comes from a twisting
motion of the head, often from a blow to the side
of the jaw or cheek. Boxing experts say
knockouts often come from hits to the chin.
Headgear was added to amateur boxing in
response to health concerns in the 1980s.
To help determine whether it has been beneficial,
Dr. Butler studied boxers who competed in both
AIBA-sanctioned events with headgear and the
World Series of Boxing, which doesn't allow
headgear.
After collecting data on some 15,000 boxer
rounds, Dr. Butler found that in the 7,352 rounds
that took place with boxers wearing headgear, the
rate of concussion was 0.38%, compared with
0.17% per boxer per round in the 7,545 rounds
without headgear.
Dr. Butler, who plans to publish the findings after
collecting additional data, cautioned that the
findings are preliminary and need to be
replicated.
The International Olympic Committee said it was
aware of the rule AIBA change but has made no
decision yet about the use of headgear in Olympic
boxing competition.
0250659207918.html
headgear in amateur boxing competition in an
effort to reduce concussions and head trauma, a
decision that is thought to be a first in the sports
world.
Starting June 1, amateur, elite male boxers who
compete internationally no longer will be allowed
to use headgear in competition, according to
rules released this week by the International
Boxing Association, known as AIBA, which
oversees amateur boxing.
Concussions and brain trauma in contact sports
have been a concern for decades, and the risk
has drawn increased scrutiny with growing
evidence that they may be associated with a
dementia-like condition called chronic traumatic
encephalopathy among U.S. football players.
Removing the use of helmets or headgear has
been discussed as a counterintuitive way to
decrease brain injuries, with the idea being that
athletes wouldn't use their heads as weapons or
hit as hard if they didn't feel as protected. In
boxing, there also is the belief that headgear
makes it harder to see to the side to avoid blows,
and makes the head a bigger target.
There has been limited research to support this
change, but fresh data, still unpublished,
suggests the removal of headgear in elite, male
amateur boxing reduces the incidence of
concussion, according to the chairman of the
AIBA medical commission, Charles Butler, a
retired cardiac surgeon and ringside doctor, who
spearheaded the study that served as part of the
basis for the recommendation.
Concussion isn't much of an issue in women and
younger fighters who often lack the strength to
bring on concussions in competitors, and they
should continue to wear headgear to protect
themselves from cuts, according to Dr. Butler.
Professional boxers don't compete wearing
headgear.
Competitors do appear to be at greater risk of
cuts without headgear, according to the research
of Dr. Butler and others, but concussion is the
injury of greater concern, Dr. Butler said.
"If you get a cut it will heal; if you break a bone it
will heal," Dr. Butler said. "If you can't recognize
your grandchildren, it's a disaster." In addition,
glove technology has improved to help reduce the
impact of blows, he said.
"All available data indicated that the removal of
headguard in Elite Men would result in a
decreased number of concussions," the AIBA said
in a statement.
Some brain experts said they found the decision
surprising, and said they worry about a boxer who
gets hit and falls to the hard canvas.
But overall, the evidence for the value of helmets
is mixed.
Blaine Hoshizaki, director of the Neurotrauma
Impact Science Laboratory at the University of
Ottawa, said his and others' research shows that
headgear and gloves are able to decrease one
type of force known as linear acceleration, but not
rotational force, which comes from a twisting
motion of the head, often from a blow to the side
of the jaw or cheek. Boxing experts say
knockouts often come from hits to the chin.
Headgear was added to amateur boxing in
response to health concerns in the 1980s.
To help determine whether it has been beneficial,
Dr. Butler studied boxers who competed in both
AIBA-sanctioned events with headgear and the
World Series of Boxing, which doesn't allow
headgear.
After collecting data on some 15,000 boxer
rounds, Dr. Butler found that in the 7,352 rounds
that took place with boxers wearing headgear, the
rate of concussion was 0.38%, compared with
0.17% per boxer per round in the 7,545 rounds
without headgear.
Dr. Butler, who plans to publish the findings after
collecting additional data, cautioned that the
findings are preliminary and need to be
replicated.
The International Olympic Committee said it was
aware of the rule AIBA change but has made no
decision yet about the use of headgear in Olympic
boxing competition.
0250659207918.html
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