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Rugby

Irish couple develop rugby head guard which "reduces impact force by 75%"

Concussion has been the hot topic in the world of rugby over the past 18 months, and scienti...



Irish couple develop rugby hea...
Rugby

Irish couple develop rugby head guard which "reduces impact force by 75%"

Concussion has been the hot topic in the world of rugby over the past 18 months, and scientists are still learning about the effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which occurs after repeated blows to the head.

CTE, a degenerative brain disease which can only be diagnosed after death, has been found to affect many former American football players, and those investigating it are still unsure as to the impact it has on gray matter in the brain. 

It occurs when the brain knocks against your skull, leaving a small bruise in the tissue. These can build up over time leading to memory loss, anxiety and depression. 

As with all impact sports, however, the risk of getting a head injury are always present, and there have been a number of efforts to make football, rugby, GAA and American football safer for those who play them.

The latest innovation on that front comes courtesy of an Irish couple, who have developed a rugby head guard which they claim reduces impact force in tackles by 75%.

Mark and Dr Sandra Ganly, the developers of the product, have made a product which "manages the G-Force through its multi-layer construction," and aims to take the impact out of repeated tackling which can cause head injuries.

"Player welfare is a cause very close to my heart," said Alex Corbisiero, the former Lions and England Prop who is lending his support to the new headgear.  

"As a sport, we need to do more to protect players from injuries and prolong their careers, and the launch of N-Pro is a great step towards that."

Similarly Rochelle Clark, is backing its introduction to keep injuries at bay. A World Cup winner with England, she said: "In recent years, we have heard a lot about concussion and impact to the head. We’ve seen players’ careers cut short due to serious impacts on the pitch, I want to be playing for as long as possible."

"Player Welfare is World Rugby's number one priority and we welcome any commitment to injury prevention research," said Martin Raftery, Chief Medical Officer at World Rugby.

"We have watched the development o­f the N-Pro with interest over the last three ­years. We will monitor its use and look forward to seeing feedback."

N-Pro is priced on the market at €150.00 and is available to buy here.

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