The Effects Of Concussions On Athletes And Concussions

In the United States alone, athletes account for about 300,000 concussions each year (11 Facts). A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that causes swelling of the brain 's soft tissue and disrupts normal brain function (Concussion). A concussion has potential to impact memory and coordination for the rest of the athlete 's life along with lead to other, more serious, brain injuries. In order for athletes to reduce the effects from concussions, they need to be educated on the symptoms, ways to avoid the injury, and the possible lifelong effects.

Statistics have proven that about 300,000 cases are reported annually, many of which are high school students due to sports or strenuous activities. Many coaches could argue that technology has given us the ability to create helmets that could ultimately absorb the shock impacts from a blow to the

In 2007, the NFL finally started to take steps to slow down the rate of concussions in football (Lauren Ezell). Although concussions still occur today, there are specific protocols that were inserted to protect players’ health. This topic is so important to me because I am a big fan of the sport, and I would hate to see my favorite players end their career with disabling conditions. I hope to the see the NFL continually trying to find ways to limit concussions. I believe that one day football can be played without the risk of living the rest of your life with a critical

People are beginning to blame the NFL and football leagues for their concussion. The NFL has been set afire over the past few years. Former players are beginning to sue the league because of concussions they have received throughout the years for playing. There are 4,500 ailing retirees who, in 2011, sued the NFL over a perceived negligence to warn them of the sports risks. In return that cost the National football league $765 million dollars. So, over the next 65 years, all retired NFL players can receive baseline medical exams, educational services and a payout formula based on illness and age. This lead a spark to college football players who in return have filed lawsuits against the NCAA (National College Athletic Association) for concussions they allegedly sustained as student players.

In the 2015 season there were 271 total concussions; a fifty-eight percent rise from the 2014 season (Seifert, esnp.go.com). Of the 271 concussions, ninety-two of them were caused by helmet-to-helmet contact (Seifert). Dr. Michael C. Miller, former editor of the "Harvard Mental Health Letter" believes the NFL has taken steps in the right direction but more needs to be done in order to protect future players and preserve the heart of the game. Helmets with better padding and impact monitors cut the risk of sustaining a concussion in half. A group of researchers collected data from 1,800 athletes from eight different college football teams using two versions of a helmet made by Riddell, the "VSR4" and the new "Revolution". Using sensors in the helmet, they recorded hits experienced by players and found a fifty-four percent reduction of concussion risk in the players with the Revolution helmet. (Newsmax Health). Dan Polnerow, a journalist at Northeastern State University, wrote that Riddell’s new helmet “utilizes high density vinyl nitrile foam, a facemask designed to absorb some of the energy of the impact, and a larger shell to fit more padding” (Polnerow). No helmet can completely protect an athlete from a concussion however providing better protection can substantially reduce the risk

Concussions are problems that almost every athlete goes through. Football players, boxers and hockey players all have suffered from some type of concussion they refer to it as "hearing bells" or "seeing lights" . Even though its over 100,000 concussions in football over a year other sports suffer from it to, So it’s important for us to understand this situation and see what people have to go through. Due to the high number of concussions each year, new regulations are necessary to help protect players and everyday people from these injuries. (concussionfoundation.org)

In today’s day and age, baseball is no longer considered the past-time of America. Football has gradually become more and more popular and is nothing short of the most watched and anticipated season in America. In the nation today there are 3 million kids who participate in youth football, which consists of children age five to 16. Also, there are an estimated 1.1 million high school football athletes, and 100,000 players at the collegiate level. While the sport is arguably the nation’s most popular sport, it may come with consequences. Over the past few years, concerns have been raised about the risk that players may face from taking repeated hits to the head. Studies show that more than 50 former professional football players have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain disease caused by impact. The question is, how can these possibly life-ending risks be lessened or even ended.

When participating in a sport, the players are aware of the risks. Physical damage is always a strong possibility, but what about the mental damage that a player can receive. Concussions have been known to occur frequently in contact sports, making the rules based on injuries in need of change. The current rule is that after an injury occurs, players have to have a medical professional sign off before they are allowed to play. This is great for injuries related to the physical form of a person, but when it comes to the mental aspects, these rules need to be re-written. Things such as the types of people affected by concussions, how vulnerable concussions can be on the mind, and how concussions can affect everyone around a person that has been inflicted by a concussion, should be brought into consideration while deciding a specific set of

Concussions are the most common head injury that can occur while participating in sports. “A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. When athletes sustain concussions, their brains stop functioning properly as a result of trauma. Perhaps the simplest way to think of a sport-related concussion is as a temporary dysfunction of the brain caused by trauma Even though there are some people who symptoms of having a concussion will seem obvious”(Meehan). There are over 250,000 concussion injuries reported each year with football players alone. High school football players experience at least one concussion during their season each year. Sport related concussions are most likely to witness by someone, they are usually mild, sometimes to never

When playing any athletic sport, there are multiple risks that a player, such as I, may encounter while participating in each sport. Growing up in a sports family, meant I played multiple sports as a young athlete, such as, baseball, football, basketball and swimming. During my younger sports years, I cannot recall any major injuries or concussions in any of the sports I played. While practicing and participating in any sport or activity it is necessary to take precautions, by using the proper equipment and good technique before, during, and after the activity. As an athlete with many hours of practice and conditioning, I felt I ready for almost anything life could throw at me. As an athlete, I have pushed my body to the limit and my body started to push back with injuries leading to partial fractures, MCL tears, and UCL strain.

In America, the sports industry is one of the largest and most powerful country; whether the sport is football, baseball, basketball, or any of the other sports the country has. Recently reports and documented cases have risen involving some of these sports’ greatest athletes, as well as current players, dealing with concussions (Famous sports concussions, 2012). Numerous athletes, some of them being the sport’s highest profile players, were found to have several mental illnesses and diseases, that have been attributed to head injuries sustained while they were playing their sports. The biggest and most predominant of these injuries is concussions. They can cause not only immediate issues, but also a lifetime of health problems (Smith, 2009). Sports related concussions lead to brain deterioration, which leads to long lasting effects throughout life.

In the health world, concussions are finally now deemed as serious issues to physicians and athletic trainers. A couple decades ago, concussions were seen as just “getting your bell rung” with no long-term effects, that is really tragic when we really look back on it. There were many

Concussions are a major part of sports this day in age. Most players will recover from the hits but others will pay a higher price. Yes, some concussions are just a headache for a week or two but some of them could kill you. These could be caused by freak athletes, but they could be caused by things the player themself can control.

A recent study of college football players has shown that those who participate in high contact sports and have had a concussion before have a 300% higher chance of having another one in comparison to athletes that have never had a concussion before (Jolicoeur et al, 2007). The NFL and NCAA have enacted several rule changes in order to minimize the occurrence of concussions. These new rules, like many before them, have come under the scrutiny of the very athletes that they were meant to protect. The NHL and NHL Players Association in 1997 together created a program in order to get a better understanding of concussions and how to prevent them (Burke et al, 2011). According to Covassin (2008), athletes who have had more than one concussion take a longer time to recover with each concussion that they suffer from.

Since the beginning of professional sports, one of the most controversial topics has been head Injuries and even more specifically, concussions. A concussion is an injury to the brain or spinal cord due to jarring from a blow, fall, or the like; a shock caused by the impact of a collision, blow, etc.; the act of violently shaking or jarring. (dictionary.com) although people do not think so, these injuries have a lasting effect that could change life dramatically down the road. Should sports leagues all over the world be implementing more safety rules in order to prevent these types of head injuries? What makes them so dangerous and why should we give the topic much more attention. Concussions in sports are a major problem that needs to be addressed much for seriously.