Innovations in Rugby Headgear: Can New Materials Reduce Long-Term Brain Injury?

Rugby players, coaches, and referees widely agree that traditional headgear cannot prevent concussions. Despite this understanding, many athletes continue to wear head protection for reasons beyond direct impact prevention. Historically designed to guard against cuts and abrasions, rugby headgear is increasingly viewed as a potential means to mitigate the cumulative effects of repeated collisions during a player's career.

Recent advancements in materials science are now offering new hope. Conventional headgear typically contains soft foams that compress upon impact, offering minimal absorption of collision forces. However, emerging isotropic materials possess the unique ability to absorb impacts from multiple directions, which could significantly reduce the overall impact load experienced by players.

This shift in gear technology coincides with growing awareness that the total number of head impacts—sub-concussive blows—may be as crucial to long-term brain health as the occurrence of concussions themselves. Researchers have developed 'smart' mouthguards embedded with micro-accelerometers and gyroscopes to quantify head movements during matches, revealing substantial variability in impact exposure across players and seasons.

Studies indicate that impact magnitude, measured as peak linear and rotational accelerations, varies widely among players and can accumulate over time, potentially exacerbating the risk of future neurodegenerative conditions. For example, some under-16 players were found to experience cumulative impacts ranging from 300g to nearly 14,000g over a season, with implications that extend across their entire careers.

Helen Murray from the University of Auckland emphasizes the importance of understanding how collision burdens affect long-term brain health rather than focusing solely on concussions. Laboratory tests comparing traditional headgear with newer isotropic-material designs suggest that advanced headgear could reduce impact forces by approximately 30%, offering a promising avenue for injury mitigation.

Although current headgear cannot definitively prevent concussions, the adoption of innovative materials may significantly lessen the impact burden players endure, thereby possibly safeguarding their brain health in the future. As research progresses, the emphasis is shifting toward protective gear that reduces overall collision forces, ultimately aiming for safer long-term outcomes for rugby athletes.

source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-rugby-headgear-concussion-materials-soften.html