Concussion

[joemall89]

New poster here,

I was doing a 18u rec game and took a shot off the top part of the mask. Wasn't the hardest one I've ever taken, but left me with a mild concussion. Anyone else ever deal with this type of injury?

[Mike Prince]

Yes about 3-4 weeks ago.

[joemall89]

How long before you were able to get back on the field?

[Mike Prince]

About 5 days

[VAUmp]

What's a concussion?  I've never heard of this thing you speak of.

[Stan W.]

its when you get hit in the head......and then, uh...........you have a hard time  remem........uh ......um what were we talking about again?

 

 

actually serious thing...........hope you get well soon..........

[blue23ll]

I have been hit in the face/jaw area 3 times this season. I don't recall getting face shots that much before. So, I'm thinking about getting the team wendy pads. I'm not sure if face shots could cause a concussion, but I'm not chancing it.

[T-Rav]

@joemall89

 

What mask and pads do you wear?

[umpcoachfather]

Was the mild concussion diagnosed by a doctor?

[alan2703]

Glad you went to md on that, shot to face can cause concussion side of head ,back of even a tramua that makes your head shake violently. The bad part is that sometimes the symptons will not show up right away. Had a squad call where oung lady fell of of a horse with helment on, rode more and came back to hose. Mother saw slight bump on head and called us vitals normal and well as everything else, transported anyway due to nature of fall. Good thing half way to ER it hit the fan,vomiting, LOC , eyes rolling back etc. she came out ok. Point is when in doubt get it check out the life you save maybe your own. Stay Safe

[BigUmpire]

Team Wendy pads. Getem Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Mike Prince]

FWIW, I had my mask loaded with TW pads (and it was adjusted properly) when I got my concussion this year.  Some shots just hit you in the wrong place.

[noumpere]

New poster here,

I was doing a 18u rec game and took a shot off the top part of the mask. Wasn't the hardest one I've ever taken, but left me with a mild concussion. Anyone else ever deal with this type of injury?

Can't remember if I've had one.

[semper_fi_72]

I am trying to remember... :question1:

Oh yea, I have had 3 of them        and is why I now where a HSM.

I want to eat my vegetables, not be a vegetable.

[SoCal Lurker]

Any head shot could potentially cause a concussion.  A concussion is not caused by the contact to the head, but by the skull moving quickly so that they brain sloshes inside the head and bouncing against the skull.  (The purpose of pads is to increase the time over which the force is applied to the skull, so that the acceleration of the skull (and thereby the amount of sloshing inside the brain) is reduced.  Dont f$%^ around with concussions.  When you get a concussion you have a bruise inside your brain - until that bruise completely heals, you are much more susceptible to a further concussion.  Don't ask on a chat board how long to be out -- pay the bucks to go to a good doctor and follow his advice even if it means you are out longer than you want to be.  You only get one brain.  Of course, you can still umpire if your brain doesn't work properly , but many other things in life can become quite difficult. If you're gonna stand behind the catcher, you owe it to yourself to do some concussion training and learn the warning signs.  If you aren't convincd, do some googling and find some videos of football players talking aobut their concussions from their playing days and the curernt state of their brains.

 

(No, I'm not a doctor, just did some reading up on concussions because I coach.  I'll get off my soap box now.)

[Dragon29]

Joe,

 

One thing no-one else has said anything about, but came to my mind right away while reading your OP.

 

How tight is your mask on your head?

 

Not saying yours is too tight (though it could be) but it's something to consider.  I ask because when I take a shot right at the top of the mask, the mask usually comes off, or at least moves a lot.

 

Just my $.02!

[joemall89]

I have a light-weight diamond mask with original pads, l have been meaning to get Team Wendy pads for a while. And ya, my mask is loose enough to come off. I set up in a heel-toe pro stance, and it caught me on the far left side of the mask, with a righty batter. Caused my head to snap to the right a little, which the doc says caused the concussion. Still having headaches. Thanks for the advice, and be safe out there people

[BigUmp56]

I am trying to remember... :question1:

Oh yea, I have had 3 of them        and is why I now where a HSM.

I want to eat my vegetables, not be a vegetable.

 

I've read a lot of information that makes the claim that the HSM is superior to a traditional mask in reducing concussions, but I've yet to see any empirical evidence, Lou. I'm a "show me" type of person, and before I make the switch I'd like to know if there are any non-biased articles out there to support the claims made by HSM manufacturers.

 

Tim.

[scrounge]

 

I am trying to remember... :question1:

Oh yea, I have had 3 of them        and is why I now where a HSM.

I want to eat my vegetables, not be a vegetable.

 

I've read a lot of information that makes the claim that the HSM is superior to a traditional mask in reducing concussions, but I've yet to see any empirical evidence, Lou. I'm a "show me" type of person, and before I make the switch I'd like to know if there are any non-biased articles out there to support the claims made by HSM manufacturers.

 

Tim.

 

 

The only thing I've seen is an article by Brad from All-Star, which admittedly makes helmets but also traditional masks. I can't find it right now, but in it he discussed their research. Basically, it's all about angle of deflection - a mask is flatter than the All-Star helmets (the only ones I would use). So a blow that makes the mask spin is usually one that would barely glance off the more angled HSM. For other hits, the force is already transferred to the head, so any subsequent spinning of the mask doesn't really matter. In short, there were some spots where a mask was as good as an HSM, some worse, some much worse, but few if any where the mask was superior. And of course, there's the obvious side and rear protection which don't exist on a mask.

 

Note - this is about a high quality HSM like the All-Star. I'd much rather wear a mask with Team Wendy's than a cheap HSM. And I have both - a Diamond mask with TW's and an All-Star MVP4000.

[Thunderheads]

I have a light-weight diamond mask with original pads, l have been meaning to get Team Wendy pads for a while. And ya, my mask is loose enough to come off. I set up in a heel-toe pro stance, and it caught me on the far left side of the mask, with a righty batter. Caused my head to snap to the right a little, which the doc says caused the concussion. Still having headaches. Thanks for the advice, and be safe out there people

YES,.... those pads are poor .....

 

Load that thing w/ TW pads

[Mike Prince]

Calling the stock Diamond pads poor is being rather charitable, I just got a headache thinking about those useless pieces of...well you know.

[semper_fi_72]

 

I am trying to remember... :question1:

Oh yea, I have had 3 of them        and is why I now where a HSM.

I want to eat my vegetables, not be a vegetable.

 

I've read a lot of information that makes the claim that the HSM is superior to a traditional mask in reducing concussions, but I've yet to see any empirical evidence, Lou. I'm a "show me" type of person, and before I make the switch I'd like to know if there are any non-biased articles out there to support the claims made by HSM manufacturers.

 

Tim.

 

When I had to switch I did my did my research and talked with AllStar.

I don't have any evidence to give you that would prove anything either way.

I just know that I haven't had another problem since I started wearing mine and I have taken some shoots.

One shot I took this year was a foul straight up hitting the fence above and coming down and bouncing off the top of my helmet.

Glad I had a HSM on and didn't have a ball bounce off the top of my head.

Besides shots to the mask, I have to be concerned about shots of any kind to my entire head.

So yes the HSM surrounds and protects my skull and provides the protection my head requires over a traditional mask.

I don't need a bat or a ball to hit me any where in the head to know that the helmet protects me better than a traditional mask.

 

As my doctor told me I don't need another concussion at my age.

As SWMBO told me, "Next time it happens, your equipment will be on EBay before you get home from Urgent Care or the Emergency Room".

[Minnz]

There is one key advantage to the HSM mask it is the top and sides of the head being protected by hard plastic.  I myself do not wear it I am a traditional mask wearing guy.  From my experience as a catcher and I have used both, the mask part if far better on traditional.  I feel less rattling and pain using the traditional. When being hit in the mask with the HSM i felt I jolted more and protected me far less.  

 

Seems NFHS feels overall the HSM is better since they have the dumb requirement kids must wear the HSM and not a two piece. Talking to many varsity catchers and even some college guys now they often have echoed getting hit in the mask bothers them far less with traditional vs. HSM.

 

Nothing official here but sharing my experiences.

[mstaylor]

There is one key advantage to the HSM mask it is the top and sides of the head being protected by hard plastic.  I myself do not wear it I am a traditional mask wearing guy.  From my experience as a catcher and I have used both, the mask part if far better on traditional.  I feel less rattling and pain using the traditional. When being hit in the mask with the HSM i felt I jolted more and protected me far less.  

 

Seems NFHS feels overall the HSM is better since they have the dumb requirement kids must wear the HSM and not a two piece. Talking to many varsity catchers and even some college guys now they often have echoed getting hit in the mask bothers them far less with traditional vs. HSM.

 

Nothing official here but sharing my experiences.

The chance of a catcher getting hit is much higher than an umpire, that's why the full helmet. It has nothing to do with the ball, it's about the backswing. 

[VolUmp]

I, for one, got a mild concussion two years ago (wearing a cheap $70 Wilson HSM) from a straight face shot (foul ball) and immediately spent $200 on an All Star HSM for both me and my son.  In two years, I have had plenty of face shots, but with the four shock absorbers, I've never had so much as a light headache.

 

I cannot fathom how any style standard mask can be superior.  Until I'm shown that, then I'm happy to be sticking with the All Star HSM, and I require my son to wear it every time he umpires.

 

And for the record, the FED game where I took the shot had an AD on hand who sent a nurse onto the field to give me an eye dilation test.  I didn't cooperate very well, and frankly she shoulda/could pulled me from the game.  It wasn't until I was half way home more than 90 minutes later that my headache kicked in.  STOOPID.