Concussions In Football

Concussions are a form of traumatic brain injury that interferes with normal brain functions. Concussions are caused by a blow to the head or by heavy shaking of the head or upper body. Inertia causes the brain to move relative to the skull. The impacts impair the brain 's ability to function. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: headache, loss of consciousness, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and slurred speech.

Although some may argue that these programs have many positive effects such as instilling confidence and pride in young adults, these sources all address the common issue of concussions and permanent youth brain damage. Football, is known to be one of the most contact sports. Players tackle one another to defend their touchdown zone and to try and steal the ball. There are many moments where players collide and hit their heads against each other or the ground. Though the players might not realize it, they possibly had a concussion.

Sporting events are one of the most common venues for concussion injuries. In 2012 alone, there were more than 3.8 million reported concussions, twice as many as a decade earlier(Firm). Athletes have a very high chance of getting concussions. The severity of the concussion can vary. Concussions are not taken as serious as it should be.

Professional football in one completed study pertained to be the highest concussions among individuals who had reported to have zero to five plus concussions. Football was compared to professional men’s ice hockey and professional men’s rugby. Rugby reported more concussions in players compared to players in hockey. The only number value to be higher than footballs was rugby ’s account of having approximately fifteen men suffering from six or more concussions (Gouttebarge, Aoki, Lambert, Stewart, & Kerkhoffs, 2017).

It’s a matter of life or death, but isn’t it just a game? Over the past few years, a highly debated and extremely hot topic has arisen. More research has been developed and has come to the forefront regarding the harmful long term effects of concussions due to some aggressive sports. Concussions are usually caused by a violent blow to the head. Symptoms from this common brain injury include dizziness, nausea, and blurred or double vision (Powell).

Football concussions can lead to brain injuries or other serious health issues that can be fatal. Concussions can happen in many different ways, which all involve big hits to the head. Hard hits to a player's head can cause his or her brain to move in different ways which can cause brain bruising or bleeding. A hard hit to a player’s forehead causes the brain to accelerate in a back and forth motion that can make a player feel nauseous or unstable. If the hit is focussed in the left or right side of a player's forehead it can cause the brain to move in a twisting motion which will leave the player light headed and with a headache.

It isn't a secret that football is a dangerous sport, one of the common injuries are concussions, even though helmets are worn. The cause of these injuries is due to head trauma which in turn causes concussions. Too many could cause an impact to the brain called degenerative brain disease.    "Each year in the United States, an estimated 1.1 to 1.9 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur among children aged 18 years and younger. 1–3 Potential long-lasting effects of concussions on developing brains include decreased physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep health."

Concussions have been studied since biblical times dating back to 800 B.C. In the early NFL era, concussions were a common occurrence but were not thought as a serious issue as it is now. Until 2002, there was no link between contact sports and life-long brain damage. Between 1996 and 2001, the NFL lead a self-investigation to see if there was a link between permeant head trauma and the sport. Though the results did find a small link, the NFL tried to cover themselves and downplay the findings.

It was recess time at Lake Harbor Middle School, and a group of boys were playing basketball. Two of the boys went for the same ball, and they ended up colliding, falling to the ground. On his way down, one of the boys hit his head on the concrete. This caused him to ask a continuous loop of questions for two hours after the initial impact. Now, almost two years later, the boy still does not remember the day he got his first concussion.

In the short term, head injuries can potentially cause seizures, loss of sleep, dizziness, and lack of appetite.

Youth football is one of the major culprits when it comes to concussions in young athletes than any other sport in America. However, youth football leagues and doctors are taking the right steps in decreasing the number of concussions and keeping the young players safe. There are new rules on equipment fitting properly, coaches being certified and educated about concussions, and also drill modifications have been placed. All three of these important aspects are helping youth football become a safer sport for it 's younger athletes. Parents are also taking a step in the right direction by becoming more educated about concussions before their children are hurt and they know what symptoms to look for.

Football is a very intense sport with a lot of physical contact. Tackling, a crucial part of football, is detrimental to children who are still growing, and can result in cognitive damage, developmental decline, and many other problems that may arise later in life. While some claim that tackle football is a long standing American tradition, and a good sport for young children, it is my firm belief that the physical and cognitive damage done is far more damaging than playing football is beneficial. Tackling and collisions in football can damage a child’s cognitive ability quite drastically. This is made evident in the article by Deborah Netburn titled “Study of former NFL players highlights risk of tackling too young,” which says “Researchers

THE INCREASING NUMBER OF CONCUSSION IN ATHLETES ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THE FUTURE OF SPORTS In the recent years, concussions have become a common accident related to various types of sports around the globe. A concussion is a traumatic injury of the brain, they can also be as a result of a sudden blow on the body. Such a blow may cause the head to jerk back and forth in a rapid motion. This may cause a bounce or twist within the skull, which may over stretch the brain, cause cell damage and alter chemical functioning within the brain.

HEAD TRAUMA IN CONTACT SPORTS The popularity of contact sports in the United States exposes a large number of players (Ranging from kids to professionals) to potential brain injuries. 300,000 sports-related head injuries, most which are concussions, occur in the United States each year. Federal court documents show that one third of NFL retirees are expected to develop long-term cognitive problems, and conditions are more likely to emerge at younger ages that the general population. Recurring trauma to the brain can be serious or fatal and may not take to medical treatment.

According to the NCAA, “There were more than 41,000 injuries and 25 million athlete exposures from 2004 to 2009” (Football Injuries Data from the 2004/05-2008/09 seasons). Those forty one thousand injuries were just from football alone. Concussions are one of the most common injuries that occur in college sports. Recently, concussion rates have been rising, below is a chart the ratios of the odds that a student athlete will suffer a concussion while playing collegiate