The use of helmets in women’s lacrosse continues to be a topic of significant debate, as helmets are not mandatory in women’s lacrosse but are required in men’s lacrosse. A 2015 study found that women’s lacrosse had the second-highest rate of concussions among a variety of high school and college sports.

In 2021, the NFL offered an opportunity to researchers to examine possible treatments for pain in NFL athletes. An article written for CBC News indicates that the NFL awarded over $500,000 to a study led by Patrick Neary, a professor and exercise physiologist at the University of Regina, a public university in Canada.