Role of mouthguards in reducing mild traumatic brain injury/concussion incidence in high school football athletes.
There is continued speculation on the value of mouthguards (MGs) in preventing mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI)/concussion injuries. The purpose of this randomized prospective study was to compare the impact of pressure-laminated (LM), custom-made, properly fitted MGs to over-the-counter (OTC) MGs on the MTBI/concussion incidence in high school football athletes over a season of play. Four hundred twelve players from 6 high school football teams were included in the study. Twenty-four MTBI/concussion injuries (5.8%) were recorded. When examining the MTBI/concussion injury rate by MG type, there was a significant difference (P = 0.0423) with incidence rates of 3.6% and 8.3% in the LM MG and OTC MG groups, respectively.
Jackson
J
Winters
Richard
R
DeMont
D000293:Adolescent; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009064:Mouth Protectors; D012574:Schools
concussion injuries; custom-made properly fitted mouthguards; football athletes; mild traumatic brain injuries; over-the-counter mouthguards