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Omaha Steve

(99,659 posts) Fri Apr 22, 2016, 01:33 PM Apr 2016

Woodpeckers Inspire a Way to Help Prevent Concussions

http://www.care2.com/causes/woodpeckers-inspire-a-way-to-help-prevent-concussions.html

By: Laura Goldman April 9, 2016

Imagine banging your face against a tree more than 80 million times during your lifetime. You’d probably end up with severe brain damage, right?

Yet that is exactly what woodpeckers do, and they never get the slightest concussion.

How do woodpeckers avoid injury? They wrap their long tongues around their necks, which compresses their jugular veins and reduces the flow of blood from their brains. The backflow acts like bubble wrap for their brains.

Their natural way of protecting themselves against slosh mitigation – the jostling of the brain in the skull during an impact to the head — inspired Dr. Julian Bailes, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and co-director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute, to develop a first-of-its-kind collar for humans that uses a similar method to prevent mild traumatic brain injuries.

FULL story at link.

6 replies

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Woodpeckers Inspire a Way to Help Prevent Concussions (Original Post) Omaha Steve Apr 2016 OP

Marginally related, but years ago I watched a "60 Minutes" episode on new football equipment. . . Journeyman Apr 2016 #1

K & R! HuckleB Apr 2016 #2

Interesting Steve. panader0 Apr 2016 #3

My dentist said there was something about this in the movie concussion Omaha Steve Apr 2016 #4

It might work for Gene Simmons lagomorph777 Apr 2016 #5

This is basically the basis for the movie "Concussion" and is based ScreamingMeemie Apr 2016 #6

Journeyman

(15,036 posts)

1. Marginally related, but years ago I watched a "60 Minutes" episode on new football equipment. . .

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Apr 22, 2016, 01:57 PM

Apr 2016

An inventor was working on a "seat belt" type restraint system to protect football players from impacts to the head. Intended for linemen, the "seat belt" type restraint connected the helmet to the shoulder pads, so that in the event of a sudden impact (someone slapping the helmet, or any hard hit) the "seat belt" type strap would lock, preventing the helmet from bouncing back and forth.

It all sounded quite plausible. The only drawback, as the inventor acknowledged, was quite simple:

"Every time we develop new safety equipment, these guys just hit each other that much harder."

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

2. K & R!

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Apr 22, 2016, 02:01 PM

Apr 2016

panader0

(25,816 posts)

3. Interesting Steve.

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Apr 22, 2016, 02:07 PM

Apr 2016

I have woodpeckers here at my place, and I have wondered about that same thing.

Omaha Steve

(99,659 posts)

4. My dentist said there was something about this in the movie concussion

Reply to panader0 (Reply #3)

Fri Apr 22, 2016, 04:15 PM

Apr 2016

I haven't seen it yet.

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)

5. It might work for Gene Simmons

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Apr 22, 2016, 04:19 PM

Apr 2016

and he is a bit of a head banger...

Girl Seeks New Record For ‘World’s Longest Tongue’, Gene Simmons Hangs His Head in Shame

Read More: Girl Seeks New Record For ‘World’s Longest Tongue’, Gene Simmons Hangs His Head in Shame | http://kingfm.com/girl-seeks-new-record-for-worlds-longest-tongue-gene-simmons-hangs-his-head-in-shame/?trackback=tsmclip

ScreamingMeemie

(68,918 posts)

6. This is basically the basis for the movie "Concussion" and is based

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Apr 22, 2016, 04:25 PM

Apr 2016

on the work of Dr. Bennet Omalu. I didn't read the article, but I'm hoping whoever wrote this/came up with the idea credits him.

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