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Concussions In Sports Essay

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It was September 30th, 2004. Former Pittsburgh Steeler Justin Strzelczyk drove his Ford pickup drunk the wrong way across highway I-90 colliding head-on with a tanker truck and died on impact (Finder). Justin wasn’t on drugs or drinking(Finder). Justin had a bipolar disorder from concussions from when he played football (Finder). According to WebMD “The brain is made of soft tissue. It's cushioned by spinal fluid and encased in the protective shell of the skull. When you sustain a concussion, the impact can jolt your brain. Sometimes, it literally causes it to move around in your head. Traumatic brain injuries can cause bruising, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves” (Lava). In a short and sweet version; it is a bruise to the brain. Concussions also have different levels …show more content…

Studies show that retired professional football players showed a three-fold increase in depression in players with a history of three or more concussions (Cifu). Evidence has also been gleaned from other sports that involve head impact. Nonrandomized studies of soccer players who have had multiple minor concussions have demonstrated that these individuals performed worse on neuropsychological tests compared with a control group (Neuropsychological testing is the standard for monitoring cognitive recovery after a concussion) (Cifu).
With the increase in concussion the NFL has seen multiple “superstar” athletes retire from the game early such as, Calvin Johnson who is border line Hall of Fame numbers, Jarod Mayo who was a two-time pro bowler who should be entering in the league at his prime, B.J. Raji was a young stud for a super bowl winning team (Kurtenbach). All three athletes were 30 years old and younger (Kurtenbach). This is because the risk-reward equation for NFL players has changed dramatically, and the understanding of risk will continue to grow faster than the rewards moving forward

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