Linda Moskowitz, a top nurse  at a New York City Hospital, found herself on the other end of the patient-caregiver relationship one day when her own son was rushed to the E.R. after suffering a critical sports injury.  Her son was a 6’10, 215 pound athlete who, after suffering repeated concussions, was finally told that he would be unable to play sports at the competitive level again.  

To this day, the affects of that final concussion plague him with headaches.  This story isn’t atypical of the many short-lived athletic careers of our American youth today.  Many retire in high school and suffer chronic headaches, knee injuries and back pain.  Linda decided that enough was enough.  

Dr. Carl Abraham, the original inventor of the football face guard, developed a system that absorbs impact and perspiration.  Moskowitz came together with Dr. Abraham to develop a headband for soccer players.  There were 70 initial prototypes that didn’t make the grade: they were too scratchy, too bulky, too unattractive for the youth players they were making this for.  The final prototype they created was comfortable, fashionable, washable.  It had aeration in it that kept the wearer cool and it was soft to the touch.  That’s the headband that we now know as the Forcefield.

Larry Moskowitz says about the Forcefield, “It is real science and is the only product that is patented to absorb perspiration and impact, protecting while looking good and staying cool.”  

Don’t ignore the importance of protective gear.  The Center for Disease Control runs a “Heads Up in Sports” program to outline just how serious head injuries leading to concussions really are.  

According to the CDC, concussions are “a brain injury that changes how the cells in the brain normally work.  They are caused by a blow to the head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull…In rare cases, repeated concussions can result in brain swelling, permanent brain damage and even death.”

All athletes have a strong will. Young players think they need to “shake it off, don’t complain, don’t cry.”  But the resounding exception should be when it comes down to head trauma. While there is disagreement about the effects of heading a soccer ball, the injuries caused by clashes of heads in the game are indisputable.

The innovation of Moskowitz’s Forcefield headband was motivated by her awareness of the oversight of youth sports injuries.  She has expanded her patent to develop kneepads, wrist guards for lacrosse and field hockey, ankle guards and is now in the process of developing a more comfortable mouth guard.  The Forcefield product is committed to bringing safety and comfort to the young athlete.  

Forcefield headbands are creating a line for the upcoming World Cup with the team insignia and colors.  They are making moves to do this for teams in the U.S.  And through the generous work of philanthropists, the headband is sold at an affordable $15 marked down from the original $35.  

Take precautions, play hard.  Come back Tuesday for a real-life case where the Forcefield could have helped at the recent Dallas Cup.