Recurring Trauma In Contact Sports

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. However, Brain injuries are preventable. Parents, athletic trainers, doctors, and coaches should make sure that the kids are learning to tackle safely. Also teams need

According to The Washington Post, cheerleading was the cause of more than half of the “catastrophic injuries to female athletes. This includes skull fractures, cervical spine injuries, brain injury or concussions, paralysis, and death. However, rules have been implemented in order to decrease the chances of injury and to overall make the sport safer. For example, in high school and all star cheerleading, “pyramids are limited to two persons high, meaning the top person in a pyramid must receive primary support from a base or be temporarily connected to a bracer who is on a base,” as stated by Cheerrules.org Also in high school and all star cheer, flyers can not execute a flip in a basket toss. These rules were put in place in an effort to reduce the rate of catastrophic injuries in cheerleading. The implementation of these strict rules shows that high risk sports, such as cheerleading, are making progressive steps towards a more safer, and participant-friendly sport. With this sport, I have had a personal experience with an injury pertaining to the head. I was doing a tumbling pass that I had almost mastered and when I tried to land the last skill, my arms were not fully locked out and i landed on the back of my head and neck. I got up and told my coach that I was okay, but he still made me still out and i couldn 't cheer in the following football game because of a concussion. I know that sports like these carry risks of injury, as with any other sport, but critical injuries can be prevented and minor injuries can be healed if safety guidelines for the specific sport are followed. Athletes need to know that they have to alert a coach of an injury IMMEDIATELY following the incident and coaches need to know when to pull a player out of the game. After that, the chance of getting hurt even more skyrocket. Instead of