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| Designed to stabilize patients wearing athletic and motor sports (crash) helmets during back-boarding, the Helmet Hugger does just as it's name implies. No more trying to stabilize a round surface against flat surfaces. The inner radius snuggles most helmets holding them in place for strapping or taping to the backboard. No more head supports hanging over the side of the backboard. The Helmet Hugger is narrow enough to fit within the confines of most backboards. No more using head supports that aren't tall enough. The Helmet Hugger is tall enough to laterally support the helmet and patients head if the back-boarded patient is rolled onto their side for airway maintenance. Made of a rigid foam, the Helmet Hugger is covered with a rugged protective coating that is easily cleaned. |
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| To remove the helmet or not to remove the helmet. That has long been the
question. There has long been two schools of thought as to removal verses not
removing the helmet, both with valid points. As long as there are the two
schools of thought the controversy will probably continue for some time. Do we have the answer? No!!!! What we do have is the ONLY product currently on the market that is designed exclusively for immobilizing the head and C-spine of patients wearing helmets where it is chosen to leave the helmet on the patient while back-boarding. Designed for use with football helmets they can also be used on some, but not all, motor sports helmets. The need for the Helmet Hugger came about when a local football team physician informed the local EMS dept. that they were to no longer remove patients helmets if the patient complained of, or had signs or symptoms of, any spinal injury and were to be back-boarded. At that time there was no good way to immobilize a patient wearing a helmet so we went to work designing a system that would fulfill the basic standards for back-boarding and with the patients helmet left in place. The diameter of the helmet decreased the amount of space remaining on the sides of standard width backboards for placing blocking. When using such standard methods as towel rolls or the commercially available reusable multiple piece types such as the blocks hung over the edges of the backboard. Thus the blocks cannot be secured to the backboard well enough for adequate support, especially if the back-boarded patient was rolled 90 degrees for airway maintenance. A narrower block was needed. The increased diameter and added weight of the helmet made a taller unit with a higher center of gravity (CG) to immobilize. When rolling a back-boarded patient (completely immobilized) 90 degrees onto their side for airway maintenance (such as vomiting) a taller block then what was available was needed to support the higher CG and keep the helmet and, therefore, head from rolling and moving the cervical spine. Something taller was needed. For those who feel rolling a back-boarded patient on their side for airway maintenance is not necessary because suction is available we have not found a suction unit capable of keeping up with the volume a person can produce while vomiting. Well, maybe, if the suction unit says "Shop-Vac" on the side. The Helmet Hugger system of head and cervical spine immobilization for patients wearing helmets is narrow enough to fit well on most backboards as well as tall enough to provide increased lateral support if the patient is rolled onto their side while back-boarded. Designed similar as wheel chocks the radius of the blocks Impede the rolling of the helmet and hold it secure. Made of a rugged, durable, but light weight inner core they have a seamless coating that is also very rugged and durable. The coating is easily cleaned and if it becomes damaged the Helmet Huggers can be factory recoated. As a bonus we found that the coating on the Helmet Huggers also provided a high degree of friction between the helmet and Helmet Huggers and the Helmet Huggers and the backboard. This increased friction aids in holding every thing in place. Once the helmet and Helmet Huggers have been taped to the backboard the whole unit becomes very secure. Cleaning of the Helmet Hugger is very simple. In some cases blood and emesis up to three (3) days old has been removed with just the pressure from a garden hose. Most cleaning can be done with warm soap and water and the use of powdered cleaners such as Comet Cleanser or Ajax and a brush. SOS pads work great!!!! If the outer coating becomes damaged or difficult to clean, the product may be shipped back to the manufacture for recoating for a nominal fee. As stated previously The Helmet Hugger was designed for use with football helmets. They have also been used for motorcycle helmets. While not suitable for all sports or motor sports helmets (crash helmets) they can be used on several types. The manufacture of the Helmet Hugger makes no claim to the argument of removal of helmets verses non-removal of helmets. The product user has the sole responsibility for the decision to remove or not remove helmets.
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