Concussions Persuasive Essay

After researching this topic extensively as well as talking to Dr. Peter Deluca who now acts as the head team physician for the Philadelphia Eagles I have come to the conclusion that concussions are a problem that are not controllable by the NFL. Dr. Deluca explained that these athletes are using the most up to date technology in the world as far as their padding and helmets go and unless hitting is completely eliminated from the NFL concussions is a problem that you will see not only within the NFL but also with every contact sport. Major traumatic brain injuries are something that needs to be taken more seriously especially in youth sports as well as in highs school. I strongly believe that there is more that the NFL can do to help protect these athletes and these athletes should be compensated for the injures that they sustain over the course of a given career. Some other things that I believe that NFL should consider to make the game safer include, Eliminating kickoffs, having a mandatory sit out period after sustaining a major traumatic brain injury, having more support programs for athletes who suffer from concussion issues such as short and long term memory loss and PTSD and lastly, Larger fines for helmet to helmet hits. I think that the team physicians do everything in their power possible to help protect their players but integrity and honesty should be something that they should really demand from these players. Not lying about injuries and allowing the doctors to do their jobs can help reduce the number of concussions by a great deal in hopes that one day we see a game that both the fans and athletes can enjoy equally still while playing at the highest level.

Although there is a lot more work to be done, the NFL and other leagues have taken a stance on the egregious situation that befalls those with concussions. There has been a recent decrease in the concussion rate due to the latest concussion protocol that the NFL and many other leagues have implemented that allow for professional trainers to look over players that are suspected of being concussed. Those players are not allowed to go back into the game if they still seem like they have a concussion, increasing the safety of those players who are unwilling to report a concussion for the purpose of being able to continue play. The enhanced detection and examination protocols have led to an 11.3 percent decrease in concussion rate. However, as stated previously, there is much more to do to eradicate concussions once and for all.

If two players have head to head contact in a play it will be whistled dead immediately. One other way that football tries to prevent concussions is by adding the penalty no targeting. If one player intentionally hits another player in the head with his helmet the player will not be allowed to play for the rest of the game. The sport of football has been evolving to help prevent head injuries. One way that football tries to prevent that is by giving all players a concussion limit.

It is not new news learning that concussions are a common occurrence throughout the sport of football. It just so happens that throughout the last two decades, former NFL players have or have threatened the NFL with lawsuits regarding their personal health, specifically brain injuries. Many experts and players also question if the latest technology used to prevent concussions from occurring are effective. Modern day CT scans can rule out bleeding in the brain, they however do not diagnose concussions. This causes many concussions to go unseen due to the lack of advancements in the use of CT equipment.

Technically, a concussion is a short loss of normal brain functions in response to a sustained head injury. But people often use it to describe any minor injury to the head or brain area. Concussions are a common type of sports injury in the NFL. A player can also have one if a blow to the head or a hit to the head after a fall. Symptoms of a concussion may not start right away, which may start days or weeks after the injury had occurred.

Sports injuries are very common in today 's world. Sports injuries are very bad right now and could be a problem in the future too. Concussions happen often in sports like football. Concussions can cause you to be dizzy have headaches and be sensitive to light. Concussions can also be a problem for the future. Concussions can lead to future brain diseases like CTE. Concussions aren’t the only injury that is common in sports like football. Knee injuries like tearing your ACL. Tearing your ACL could cause knee problems for the rest of your life. One more injury is Tommy john surgery in baseball which can cause you to be out of sports for a long time.

Research Project: NFL Concussions The project that I decided to research was concussions in sports, focusing on the National Football League. Though the NFL is famously known for being hammered with controversy surrounding concussions, they are trying to improve the health and safety measures to prevent them from happening, and to protect players. These measures are usually tagged with a term called “Concussion protocol”. This term has been thrown around for years by announcers, coaches, players, and probably the most by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Many of the famous sports today are played with great enjoyment, however, contact injuries can always occur at any time. Many of these injuries are concussions. Couple of years back studies showed concussions were not a major subject to be dealt with, but until later this idea was proven wrong. A simple Concussion can change many things in your life even the way you act. Many have died due to multiple major concussions even famous athletes.

With a growing epidemic of concussions we should spend more time studying concussions and get better protection in the sports we play. There should be more safety requirements, concussion protocols, and better education on concussions.

Imagine being the MVP of an all star sports team, then suffering a concussion from a very competitive game or tournament. No matter what sport an athlete plays or how skilled they are at it, there is always going to be a possibility of injury. Concussions are an injury with serious side effects and can permanently end any star's career. Today, many young athletes suffer from sport related concussions. An estimated 3.8 million recreational and athletic concussions occur annually in the United States, according to statistics in 2012 (Concussion and Sports). Concussions are high on the rise and make athletes very vulnerable and prone to them. Among male athletes, sports resulting in the most concussions include football, ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and soccer. For female athletes, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball were recorded for the sports that resulted in the most concussions. Youth athletes who have suffered one concussion, onset greater chances of experiencing more.

Concussions have always been a problem in contact sports. Unfortunately, high school football is no exception. In fact, high school football is the worst of all contact sports when dealing with concussions. According to “Sports Concussion Statistics,” 47% of all reported sports concussions occur during high school football. This is an alarming statistic that has caused companies like Riddell to search for a solution. According to an article titled “Riddell Unveils Overhauled New Football Helmet SpeedFlex,” the solution may be closer than ever. Just recently, Riddell came out with a new football helmet called the SpeedFlex. Like the Revolution Speed and Riddell 360 helmet, this helmet was designed to reduce the impact of head-to-head concussions.

An online survey of 1,000 people conducted by ESPN in Northern California of early August did find that 57 percent of parents said the concussion problem made them less likely to let their sons play in youth leagues (Emmons, 2012). Over 3,200 retired NFL players have sued the NFL over the long-term effects of their head trauma days. Through suing the NFL they seek compensation for the information that was withheld from them about their protection. Studies show that concussions represent almost 9 percent of injuries in nine major high school sports. Although football is a rather violent sport it can still be while relatively safe when coached and monitored properly.

When student athletes participate in contact sports, they run the risk of getting a concussion. A concussion, according to The American Academy of Neurology, is defined as "A trauma induced alteration in mental statues that may or may not result in loss of consciousness". Short term effects could cause a change in mood, along with headaches and nausea; whereas long term effects of a concussion can range from drastic behavioral changes and mood disturbances to cognitive difficulties. These symptoms are very prevalent in student athletes that may get a concussion and can only get worse when one has been re-concussed. I believe that student athletes should be required to sit out for a longer period of time following the events of a concussion.

Redesigning the Football Helmet Head to head contact is a very serious matter. Kids, adults, and everyone in between are getting hurt in football due to the hard hits they take either in practice or games. The goal is to make football safer but people are still getting hurt and even killed. There are new helmets coming out every year but still not eliminating the problem.

Contact sports involve touching, hitting, or banging other children, which is often why children get hurt in these sports. Among teens, concussions and death have happened. While these sports increase the strength of teenagers as they partake in a school activity, the risk of injury and death is great. The health benefits of contact sports do not outweigh the risks of playing them.