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GoPros increasing chance for brain injury?

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kshaughn
Posts: 509 - Karma: 4,566
So as I am sure most of you know, Michael Schumacher has been in a coma since around December from a ski accident where he hit his head on a rock in the Alps while wearing a helmet. Well a bunch of news reports came out today about how people (some F1 commentator to start) are claiming that the GoPro mounted on his helmet increased his chance for a brain injury.

"The problem for Michael was not the hit, but the mounting of the GoPro camera that he had on his helmet that injured his brain."
"The helmet completely broke. It was in at least two parts. ENSA analysed the piece of the helmet to check the material, and all was OK," said a source close to the investigation. "But why did it explode on impact? Here the camera comes into question. The laboratory has been testing to see if the camera weakened the structure."

Personally, I think it is a load of crap that the GoPro or the mount would have weakened the helmet and increased his likelihood for a brain injury, but it will be interesting to see what results come from this lab test. I don't get how plastic pieces between the rock and helmet would do more damage than the rock making direct contact with the helmet. The only somewhat logical explanation that I have heard is that the collision is applying the force over a smaller area size than it would be if it was spread throughout the helmet, but I'm not sure if I buy that.

What do you guys think about this claim? Do you think there is an increase risk of injury by wearing these and hitting you head?


For people who want to read the entire article - http://petapixel.com/2014/10/12/michael-schumachers-ski-accident-brain-injury-said-caused-gopro-helmet-cam/
Oct 13 2014 1:59PM
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Calb3rt
Posts: 6005 - Karma: 2,203
my take as of now is that is pretty ridiculous and seems like they are trying to scapegoat or point the blame at whatever they can. "The problem for Michael was not the hit( even though he hit hard enough to crack a helmet in two)" "why did it explode?" obviously there was a lot of force involved with the impact, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, i cant picture a plastic helmet beating a rock in any kind of tensile tests... shit, i have cracked helmets before without any kind of mounting on them.

i dont hold much validity to that website though
Oct 13 2014 2:19PM
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Gr0mo
Posts: 707 - Karma: 3,663
come on guys! its OBVIOUSLY not the rock he smashed his head on but the tiny gopro that caused his serious brain injury. DUH!
Oct 13 2014 3:06PM
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DIX~
Posts: 4695 - Karma: 6,502
Holy shit. Helmets are designed to break in the event of a serious hit, this is fucking stupid
Oct 13 2014 3:10PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
I would think a Go pro would give you just a little extra protection but if you hit your head with it it might twist your neck in a weird way potentially
Oct 13 2014 3:10PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,484
I shattered a helmet just hitting my head on snow. To say that the gopro is the cause of the helmet breaking on a rock is ridiculous
Oct 13 2014 3:14PM
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CaptainObvious.
Posts: 5712 - Karma: 20,638
I'm just waiting for the argument of the adhesive used to apply the GoPro mount compromised the integrity of the plastic.
Oct 13 2014 3:27PM
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413Crew
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 5,612
Oct 13 2014 10:02PM
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Oli_Kelski
Posts: 82 - Karma: 48
Actually it's a very valid point as the idea of a helmet is that it disperses the pressure of the impact across a wider area, and the mount and camera would concentrate an impact in a very small area, increasing the risk of a serious head injury.
Oct 14 2014 2:15AM
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270on420out
Posts: 7508 - Karma: 51,054
Is that F1 commentator recovering from a TBI? He honestly should just have a bull's asshole for a mouth.
Oct 14 2014 7:46AM
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joesdapoes
Posts: 171 - Karma: 1,898
I can imagine how screwing it in makes the helmet weaker, but
1 than it wasnt gopro's fault, it was his for making the decision to screw it
2 who the hell screws their gopro to their helmet if you get those sticky pad things with it
The idea that the gopro can be blamed for all this is just stupid
Oct 14 2014 9:14AM
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FreedGucci
Posts: 454 - Karma: 3,192
Lol
Oct 14 2014 9:17AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Gopros are apparently harder than rocks. Interesting.
Oct 14 2014 9:50AM
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lineskis413
Posts: 124 - Karma: 1,708
the thing that most people dont understand..... (or just dont want to admit) is that helmets dont stop internal damage durring high speed impacts all they do is keep you from having to pick you brain up before you go to the hospital.
Oct 14 2014 10:04AM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
Pretty ridiculous considering most pros that use them have some major falls with them recording and they are fine. Helmets aren't an end to all damage. If he was going as fast as they say he was helmet can only do so much. I would think a go pro would give a little extra protection to some degree but could really get you screwed up if it caused you to twist your neck in a weird direction.
Oct 14 2014 11:03AM
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CaptainObvious.
Posts: 5712 - Karma: 20,638
DarthVaderGopros are apparently harder than rocks. Interesting.


New ad campaign.
Oct 14 2014 11:39AM
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CaptainObvious.
Posts: 5712 - Karma: 20,638
DarthVaderGopros are apparently harder than rocks. Interesting.


New ad campaign.
Oct 14 2014 11:39AM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,133
If the helmet broke, it probably saved his life. It took energy to break the helmet that would've otherwise gone to his skull.
Oct 14 2014 11:49AM
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toastyteenagers
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 6,793
The gopro may not be to blame, what if he had fallen and hit hia helmet hard beforehand, most people don't know that most helmets are single use, single impact.
Oct 14 2014 11:59AM
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dbchili
Posts: 2555 - Karma: 1,657
If you wear a go pro mounted to your helmet, there is a 100% chance that you already have a brain injury.
Oct 14 2014 12:12PM
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nutz.
Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712
Calb3rtmy take as of now is that is pretty ridiculous and seems like they are trying to scapegoat or point the blame at whatever they can. "The problem for Michael was not the hit( even though he hit hard enough to crack a helmet in two)" "why did it explode?" obviously there was a lot of force involved with the impact, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, i cant picture a plastic helmet beating a rock in any kind of tensile tests... shit, i have cracked helmets before without any kind of mounting on them.

i dont hold much validity to that website though


Its actually a pretty valid point, when you have the gopro mounted to your helmet, if you fall directly on the gopro, it acts as a force multiplier directly to the point of mount, kind of like having a pole getting jammed into your helmet at a single point... Its better for the most part when the force is more evenly distributed rather than directed at a single point
Oct 14 2014 1:28PM
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Calb3rt
Posts: 6005 - Karma: 2,203
i can sort of understand that but i still dont fully buy it as the cause for his injury. i get that it can theoretically create a more centralized impact zone, but if the helmet "exploded" and didnt get a gopro shaped hole punched through it then i am still assuming he hit hard enough to cause serious brain injury whether there was anything attached to the helmet or not. ( i say theoretically because they are testing it now i believe?)

my experience with gopro mounts has been much different, i have always thought the adhesive was too weak in the sense that i have had them rattle off while skiing chop on a cold day and also had them fall off because of the helmet getting too hot.

i will wait for the study results come out before i start blaming gopros for causing brain injuries.
Oct 14 2014 1:55PM
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steezy_doge
Posts: 781 - Karma: 1,718
in racing you aren't aloud to wear a gopro mount on your helmet what so ever even when you are younger because the glue that makes it stick to your helmet is corrosive or something and it weakens your helmet structure
Oct 14 2014 4:04PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,484
TheSeaCaptainI'm just waiting for the argument of the adhesive used to apply the GoPro mount compromised the integrity of the plastic.


steezy_dogein racing you aren't aloud to wear a gopro mount on your helmet what so ever even when you are younger because the glue that makes it stick to your helmet is corrosive or something and it weakens your helmet structure


You got your wish capn
Oct 14 2014 4:15PM
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joesdapoes
Posts: 171 - Karma: 1,898
nutz.Its actually a pretty valid point, when you have the gopro mounted to your helmet, if you fall directly on the gopro, it acts as a force multiplier directly to the point of mount, kind of like having a pole getting jammed into your helmet at a single point... Its better for the most part when the force is more evenly distributed rather than directed at a single point


But when you fall onto a rock(wich is most likely pointy) the force will be even more focussed on 1 point. So i guess the gopro only spreads it. But the corrosive glue makes sense
Oct 14 2014 4:18PM
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_Tommo_
Posts: 304 - Karma: 641
Oli_KelskiActually it's a very valid point as the idea of a helmet is that it disperses the pressure of the impact across a wider area, and the mount and camera would concentrate an impact in a very small area, increasing the risk of a serious head injury.


^Exactly, I came here to say this.
Oct 14 2014 5:51PM
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_Tommo_
Posts: 304 - Karma: 641
Helmets are not designed to have gopros attached to them and so if you have an impact on the mount, its going to centralise the impact and affect the way the crushable foam in the helmet works. I understand that hitting the rock without the gopro would have still created a similar impact but it still wouldnt have helped.

But instead now what we need to think about is a more likely situation of hitting your head on hard packed snow with a helmet on. Ive done it many times and its not so bad, the helmet is able to disperse the impact and generally copes quite well. Now imagine hitting your head on hard packed snow with the gopro hitting the snow first, thats going to hurt alot more, i bet its happened to some of you and youve felt the gopro mount impact the snow and feel the force on the side of your head. I think this is something we need to discuss
Oct 14 2014 6:06PM
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soulskier
Posts: 17806 - Karma: 3,841
Would he have been sending it as hard if he wasn't wearing a gopro?

I doubt it, gopro is to blame for sure but not for the reason cited
Oct 14 2014 9:07PM
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lurking
Posts: 2222 - Karma: 6,787
soulskierWould he have been sending it as hard if he wasn't wearing a gopro?

I doubt it, gopro is to blame for sure but not for the reason cited


If its not on camera, it never happened.
Oct 14 2014 9:52PM
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