No Kidding: British Medical Journal Says Headbanging Is Dangerous

Andrew McIntosh and Declan Patton, a pair of academics at the University of New South Wales (they come from the land down under) are worried about the dizziness, disorientation and, well, that pain in the neck you felt walking out of the recent Metallica concert. And they've done what any good academic would -- they've published a research paper which is now available on the website of the esteemed British Medical Journal. (Australia's still part of that dwindling empire, you see.)

Their methodology is scientific: They've observed head bangers, conducted focus groups and used biomechanical analysis. Their conclusion is comedic in a "No shit, Sherlock" kind of way:

"To minimise the risk of head and neck injury, head bangers should decrease their range of head and neck motion, head bang to slower tempo songs by replacing heavy metal with adult oriented rock, only head bang to every second beat, or use personal protective equipment."

The full read -- including an analysis of the injuries that would be experience by cartoon characters Beavis and Butt-head based on their theoretical model -- can be found here.

-- Unreal