With grownups from the NFL to the DOD paranoid about concussions, it’s about time the research community asked, “What about kids?” Research published this month in the Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology offers a unique look into how hard kids are getting hit in hockey. The findings suggest players are suffering the biggest blows to the tops of their heads.

Shrink the field, add hockey-like walls and serve cheaper beer. The triad has been a model of survival for the Arena Football League but also led to more than its fair share of concussions (on the field, of course). Its players' susceptibility to blows made the league a natural fit for helmet manufacturer Schutt to test its Shockometer—a retrofit designed to warn medical personnel of a potential concussion.