Also the development of more and more advanced padding and protective gear it has in fact gotten worse, back when people were wearing leather helmets and were like 150 lbs lighter for a line man there wasn't so much constant smashing together of heads. While the fancy new helmets might protect from superficial immediate head injuries it does nothing to stop your brain from sloshing around and banging against the inside of your skull. The impacts and the overall kinetic energy in the sport has increased exponentially over the last several decades.
Also the development of more and more advanced padding and protective gear it has in fact gotten worse, back when people were wearing leather helmets and were like 150 lbs lighter for a line man there wasn't so much constant smashing together of heads. While the fancy new helmets might protect from superficial immediate head injuries it does nothing to stop your brain from sloshing around and banging against the inside of your skull. The impacts and the overall kinetic energy in the sport has increased exponentially over the last several decades.
same with bareknuckle boxing vs what became of gloves.
and cars driving closer to cyclists wearing helmets, but the solution to that particular paradox of safety is infrastructure.