Potier, Beth

English

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
9-10-2012
UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to
Advance Work on Football Equipment
Beth Potier
UNH Media Relations
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Potier, Beth, "UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Football Equipment" (2012). UNH Today. 4033.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/4033
E ik S t  i t  f  f 
Erik Swartz, associate professor of kinesiology 
at the University of New Hampshire
September 10, 2012 
UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Football 
Equipment
DURHAM, N.H. – NFL Charities, the charitable 
foundation of the National Football League owners, has 
awarded a grant to University of New Hampshire faculty 
member Erik Swartz to further his ongoing research on 
the implications of football helmet, facemask, and shoulder pad design on emergency care for 
injured players. Swartz, associate professor of athletic training in the department of kinesiology, 
received $62,521; his is one of 15 NFL Charities grants totaling more than $1.5 million that support 
sports­related medical research.
The grant will allow Swartz, who for a decade has been studying the safe removal of protective 
equipment like helmets and shoulder pads from athletes who sustain cervical spine or head injuries 
during play, to work with high­fidelity human patient simulators at WakeMed Health and Hospitals 
in Raleigh, N.C.
“It’s taking everything we’ve been doing over the past decade to the next level,” says Swartz. He and 
his collaborators ­­ Laura Decoster of the New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute, Jason Mihalik of 
the University of North Carolina ­ Chapel Hill, and Amar Patel, manager of WakeMed’s Center for 
Innovative Learning – will use the simulation mannequins to help determine a higher level of 
effectiveness for their protocols involving treating injured football players on the field.
Working in the 4,000 square­foot WakeMed facility, Swartz and his colleagues will gain information 
previously unavailable in their work with human subjects. Swartz, who has been researching the 
most effective way to remove face masks and shoulder pads from an injured player who may need 
CPR or to be intubated, will now be able to determine, for instance, if it’s possible to support an 
airway in a player wearing a football helmet. He could also test whether it’s possible to administer 
CPR over shoulder pads: The mannequin’s sensor will tell him the depth of chest compressions he’s 
giving.
“It’s mind­boggling, how much these mannequins can tell you,” Swartz says. His ultimate goal is to 
increase the safety and effectiveness of emergency medical care on the football field.
“We are proud to support sports­related medical research through NFL Charities Medical Research 
Grants,” says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “These research projects have implications far 
beyond football, and we are committed to playing a role in helping make sports safer.”
NFL Charities has actively solicited and placed emphasis on research proposals focused on areas 
including concussion/traumatic brain injury research and cardiovascular research.  Three separate 
Media Relations
Page 1 of 2UNH News: UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Footba...
2/1/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/sep/bp11football.cfm.html
NFL Charities Medical Grant review committees evaluated the 2011 grant proposals based on each 
committee’s area of expertise.  Recommendations were submitted to the NFL Charities board of 
directors for approval.  
This year’s grants include studies on stem cells and nervous system injuries; MRI methods after 
concussions; the effect of temperature on the severity of potential brain injuries; the implications of 
helmet, facemask and shoulder pad designs on airway and cardiovascular care; and a sleep apnea 
program focused on NFL players. 
The NFL has supported sports­related medical research for decades through NFL Charities Medical 
Research Grants. Since 2000, NFL Charities has committed grants to non­profitmedical facilities 
nationwide, including studies on brain injury, ACL injury prevention and heat stress risks.  
NFL Charities is a non­profit organization created by the 32 member clubs of the National Football 
League to enable the teams to collectively make grants to charitable and worthwhile causes on a 
national scale. Since its inception, NFL Charities has granted more than $148 million to more than 
1,400 different organizations.  NFL Charities’ primary funding categories include: sports­related 
medical research and education grants; player foundation grants in support of the philanthropic 
work of current and former NFL players; financial assistance for former NFL players in need; impact 
grants to support national youth health and fitness education initiatives as part of a league­wide 
commitment to fight childhood obesity; and team program grants which supplement the charitable 
and community activities of the 32 NFL clubs. Learn more about the grants at 
www.nflcommunications.com. 
The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world­class public research university with 
the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space­grant university, UNH is the 
state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.
Photograph available to download:
http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2012/feb/bp23swartz.jpg
Caption: Erik Swartz, associate professor of kinesiology at the University of New Hampshire. 
Credit: Jeremy Mayhew.
Watch a video of Swartz’s research in action here: http://vimeo.com/32989518
­30­
Reporters and editors: Erik Swartz is available at eswartz@unh.edu or 603­862­0018.
Media Contact: Beth Potier | 603­862­1566 | UNH Media Relations | @unhnews
Copyright © 2018, The University of New Hampshire  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  UNH main directory: (603) 862­1234. 
Media Relations is a unit of Communications & Public Affairs which is a division of University Advancement. 
ADA Acknowledgement | Contact the Webmaster | UNH Today | UNH Social Media Index
Page 2 of 2UNH News: UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Footba...
2/1/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/sep/bp11football.cfm.html


UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Football Equipment

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices9-10-2012UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant toAdvance Work on Football EquipmentBeth PotierUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationPotier, Beth, "UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Football Equipment" (2012). UNH Today. 4033.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/4033E ik S t  i t  f  f Erik Swartz, associate professor of kinesiology at the University of New HampshireSeptember 10, 2012 UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Football EquipmentDURHAM, N.H. – NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League owners, has awarded a grant to University of New Hampshire faculty member Erik Swartz to further his ongoing research on the implications of football helmet, facemask, and shoulder pad design on emergency care for injured players. Swartz, associate professor of athletic training in the department of kinesiology, received $62,521; his is one of 15 NFL Charities grants totaling more than $1.5 million that support sports­related medical research.The grant will allow Swartz, who for a decade has been studying the safe removal of protective equipment like helmets and shoulder pads from athletes who sustain cervical spine or head injuries during play, to work with high­fidelity human patient simulators at WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, N.C.“It’s taking everything we’ve been doing over the past decade to the next level,” says Swartz. He and his collaborators ­­ Laura Decoster of the New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute, Jason Mihalik of the University of North Carolina ­ Chapel Hill, and Amar Patel, manager of WakeMed’s Center for Innovative Learning – will use the simulation mannequins to help determine a higher level of effectiveness for their protocols involving treating injured football players on the field.Working in the 4,000 square­foot WakeMed facility, Swartz and his colleagues will gain information previously unavailable in their work with human subjects. Swartz, who has been researching the most effective way to remove face masks and shoulder pads from an injured player who may need CPR or to be intubated, will now be able to determine, for instance, if it’s possible to support an airway in a player wearing a football helmet. He could also test whether it’s possible to administer CPR over shoulder pads: The mannequin’s sensor will tell him the depth of chest compressions he’s giving.“It’s mind­boggling, how much these mannequins can tell you,” Swartz says. His ultimate goal is to increase the safety and effectiveness of emergency medical care on the football field.“We are proud to support sports­related medical research through NFL Charities Medical Research Grants,” says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “These research projects have implications far beyond football, and we are committed to playing a role in helping make sports safer.”NFL Charities has actively solicited and placed emphasis on research proposals focused on areas including concussion/traumatic brain injury research and cardiovascular research.  Three separate Media RelationsPage 1 of 2UNH News: UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Footba...2/1/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/sep/bp11football.cfm.htmlNFL Charities Medical Grant review committees evaluated the 2011 grant proposals based on each committee’s area of expertise.  Recommendations were submitted to the NFL Charities board of directors for approval.  This year’s grants include studies on stem cells and nervous system injuries; MRI methods after concussions; the effect of temperature on the severity of potential brain injuries; the implications of helmet, facemask and shoulder pad designs on airway and cardiovascular care; and a sleep apnea program focused on NFL players. The NFL has supported sports­related medical research for decades through NFL Charities Medical Research Grants. Since 2000, NFL Charities has committed grants to non­profitmedical facilities nationwide, including studies on brain injury, ACL injury prevention and heat stress risks.  NFL Charities is a non­profit organization created by the 32 member clubs of the National Football League to enable the teams to collectively make grants to charitable and worthwhile causes on a national scale. Since its inception, NFL Charities has granted more than $148 million to more than 1,400 different organizations.  NFL Charities’ primary funding categories include: sports­related medical research and education grants; player foundation grants in support of the philanthropic work of current and former NFL players; financial assistance for former NFL players in need; impact grants to support national youth health and fitness education initiatives as part of a league­wide commitment to fight childhood obesity; and team program grants which supplement the charitable and community activities of the 32 NFL clubs. Learn more about the grants at www.nflcommunications.com. The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world­class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space­grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.Photograph available to download:http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2012/feb/bp23swartz.jpgCaption: Erik Swartz, associate professor of kinesiology at the University of New Hampshire. Credit: Jeremy Mayhew.Watch a video of Swartz’s research in action here: http://vimeo.com/32989518­30­Reporters and editors: Erik Swartz is available at eswartz@unh.edu or 603­862­0018.Media Contact: Beth Potier | 603­862­1566 | UNH Media Relations | @unhnewsCopyright © 2018, The University of New Hampshire  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  UNH main directory: (603) 862­1234. Media Relations is a unit of Communications & Public Affairs which is a division of University Advancement. ADA Acknowledgement | Contact the Webmaster | UNH Today | UNH Social Media IndexPage 2 of 2UNH News: UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Footba...2/1/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/releases/2012/sep/bp11football.cfm.html

https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5032&amp;context=news

UNH Researcher Receives NFL Charities Grant to Advance Work on Football Equipment

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire

UNH Scholars' Repository