Helmet

A helmet is a protective head covering worn to prevent injury to the head or brain. People who serve in the military and fight in combat wear helmets to protect themselves during warfare. Individuals who play sports, participate in outdoor activities such as hiking or cycling, ride motorcycles, or work in unsafe environments also may wear helmets to protect their heads in case of accidents. Some states have laws that require people to wear helmets when engaging in certain activities. Infants with a medical condition known as plagiocephaly, or a flattened head, use helmets to correct the shape of the skull.

Background

Head injuries can cause damage to the brain, and helmets are designed to spread out and absorb impact to protect the head and brain. The first type of helmet was used in combat and can be traced to ancient times. Soldiers wore head coverings to protect their heads from being struck or injured during war. In the years that followed, fighters continued to wear head coverings made of various materials to protect themselves.

Soldiers fashioned helmets out of materials such as leather or cloth. However, the introduction of rifles in the late eighteenth century deemed these types of helmets inadequate. Soldiers stopped wearing these helmets, and they mostly were used as accessories during recognition ceremonies.

When lethal artillery was introduced in the early twentieth century, the need for more effective protective gear, including helmets, increased. Rifles and guns produced bullet fragments, which caused much physical damage and even death. During World War I (1914–1918), European soldiers began to wear new helmets made of steel. Although these helmets could not stop a bullet from penetrating through, they did offer some protection and became required military gear for all ground troops. However, not all soldiers wanted to wear the helmets; many felt the headgear was too heavy, affected their mobility, and blocked the ability to see and hear.

During the world wars, many countries began researching helmet designs, materials, and support devices such as liners and chinstraps to make the head coverings more effective at protecting soldiers—especially against advanced artillery. By this time, many soldiers had realized that the benefits of wearing helmets outweighed their limitations and accepted their use in times of combat. A new helmet made of Hadfield steel was introduced during the early twentieth century. Both European and American forces began to use them during World War II (1939–1945). US troops called the Hatfield steel helmets M1 steel pots. Very effective at protecting soldiers, the M1 helmet—made of various updated materials and designs throughout the years—was used for the next few decades.

Numerous materials such as nylon, e-glass fiber, and stretched polypropylene were used to line M1 helmets. An aramid fiber called Kevlar was developed in the 1960s. Soon, this was used to line combat helmets. These helmets, known as Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT), replaced the M1 in the mid-1980s. In 2002, an improved helmet called the Advanced Combat Helmet (formerly the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet) replaced the PASGT. Improvements to combat helmets continued throughout the twenty-first century.

Other Uses

Helmets also routinely became used to protect the head of athletes playing contact sports such as football, rugby, hockey, baseball, and more. The first football helmet was designed in the early twentieth century to prevent players from sustaining concussions during hard hits to their heads. It was made of soft leather and was not very effective. Hard leather helmets were introduced in the 1920s and 1930s. While they offered slightly more protection, these also were not effective at preventing head injuries. In 1939, John T. Riddell debuted the first plastic football helmet, which adequately protected players' heads. Not all players wore these helmets, as they were not mandatory by the National Football League (NFL) until 1943.

The plastic helmets were padded inside and had chinstraps, but the face area was open. This resulted in many injuries to players' faces. Throughout the years, several new designs, such as the single face bar helmet, were introduced to offer face protection. Face masks and visors also were worn with helmets to further shield the face. Advancements to the inside of helmets improved their effectiveness. Thick padding and radio transmitters were added. The NFL eventually banned single face bar helmets in 2004. As concussions continued to plague NFL players, new technological advancements helped to make helmets more effective. Into the 2010s, devices to detect possible concussions were developed. Some fit inside the helmet or were implanted in the chinstrap. In addition to football players, athletes who participate in professional baseball, cycling, hockey, rugby, and more are required to wear helmets and other protective headgear during play.

People who participate in other activities such as roller-skating, skiing, hiking, or skateboarding are not required to wear helmets, but they should consider wearing them to protect themselves from serious injury. In some states, bicyclists and motorcyclists are required by law to don helmets when riding. However, as of 2016, no federal law in the United States exists that requires bicyclists and motorcyclists to wear helmets. Many states and localities require children under the age of eighteen to wear helmets when riding a bike.

Individuals who work in certain industries sometimes are required by their employers to wear protective headgear, such as construction workers who operate heavy equipment and are around dangerous materials such as cement and steel beams. Babies born with a condition known as plagiocephaly (flattened head) may undergo helmet molding therapy. Infants are outfitted with special protective headgear called cranial remolding helmets that help reverse and correct the condition. The use of this type of helmet is typically temporary and only needed until the condition corrects itself.

Bibliography

"Bicycle Helmet Laws." Helmets.org, 30 Sept. 2016, www.helmets.org/mandator.htm. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.

"Evolution of Combat Helmets." Review of Department of Defense Test Protocols for Combat Helmets. National Academies Press, 2014.

Griggs, Brandon. "'Smart' Football Helmet May Help Detect Concussions." CNN, 9 June 2014, www.cnn.com/2014/06/09/tech/innovation/smart-football-helmet-concussions. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.

"Helmet Safety: Keep a Lid on It." Rush University Medical Center, www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/helmet-safety-keep-lid-it. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.

"Helmets: How They Work, and What Standards Do." Helmets.org, 30 Sept. 2016, www.helmets.org/general.htm. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.

"History of the NFL Football Helmet." NFL, 15 Nov. 2012, www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000095139/article/history-of-the-nfl-football-helmet. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.

"Neurology and Neurosurgery: Helmet Molding Therapy." Johns Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology‗neurosurgery/centers‗clinics/pediatric‗neurosurgery/conditions/craniosynostosis/helmet-molding-therapy.html. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.

Stamp, Jimmy. "Leatherhead to Radio-Head: The Evolution of the Football Helmet." Smithsonian, 1 Oct. 2012, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/leatherhead-to-radio-head-the-evolution-of-the-football-helmet-56585562. Accessed 8 Dec. 2016.