The Effects Of Concussions In Football

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).

As technology continues to advance and scientists begin to understand more about the long term effects of sports injuries, one increasingly frightening topic for athletes at all levels--high school, collegiate, and professional--is the concussion. Nearly every contact sport yields the possibility of trauma to the head. What does a rough body check from an opposing hockey team, a stray 95 mph pitch to the side of the head, a soccer header, and a dangerous tackle in football all have in common? Yes, you guessed it: the possibility for a concussion. But before we explore the possible effects of repeated concussions over a sports career, let’s first define a concussion.

The concentration on concussions in sports has elevated in the past few years given the number of sports figures who have passed away all too soon as a result of the studies conducted after their passing. The severity of the damage concussions can cause is still to be proven, but prevention should be a topic that is top of mind for anyone who participates in sports, from youth to professionals. In the case of Steve Montador, whose career ended due to a concussion, was documented as a shoulder injury is proof that sports leagues are aware of the challenge, but may be unsure of how to address. Some are concerned with what the lack of physicality will do to the overall “entertainment” factor of attracting fans.

Recently, researchers in a new study found that the effects of concussion could last for much longer than what scientists had previously guessed. After clinical recovery from concussions, we have seen a lot of athletes who still have reduced blood flow to the brain. Normally, sports-related concussions are judged based on the symptoms and through neurological tests. According to research from the Medical College of Wisconsin, athletes have decreased blood flow in the brain long after they appeared to recover from a brain injury. Despite these findings, the study did not reveal why blood flow will remain at lower levels after a person has experienced a concussion.

Throughout America’s history, football has been well known and a popular sport. Throughout the years, however, the safety of helmets have always been in question. As time went on, the amount of injuries significantly went down the helmets did not solve the problem completely. On November 6, 1869 the first "football" game took place. In my research I found that helmets were not mandatory until the 30’s which left a lot of players open to injury especially when half the players were wearing helmets and the other half were not while playing on the field.

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.   The leading causes of death and accidents in sports are caused by concussions.

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).

Intense sports like football are very famous, but might be too dangerous. Football has the largest percentage of all sports that have injured members almost every time. Football is an American sport known for tackles, but it causes injuries from head to head impact and causes medical care. Football is a very famous sport, causes damage like concussions and C.T.E. (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). Football and other intense sports causes concussions to happen, which causes brain damage.

To decrease the number of concussions a year the National Football League must issue more rules and better quality equipment. Despite the tackling and wanting to " knock out " an opponent of the other team, football players need to transition their mindsets to a different objective. Instead of wanting to hurt the opponent or lay them out, just focus on getting them down. Football players must have the mindset to keep their healthy bodies and prevent injuries so that they can continue to entertain, perform, but to mostly importantly win. Football without concussions and even injuries can make the sport more enjoyable for the parent, wives, and children of the players.

The milleaneal genearation sparks many different types of reactions when talked about. Words such as technology,cell phones, and even the word lazy are thrown around. Throughout my generation I believe there has been two major explosions. One explosion is in sports. Sports have become increasingly popular.

Concussions In Football Concussions - what are they? How do they happen? Why is it so important to try and prevent them? Concussions are becoming a huge issue in today’s world of football due to the problems that come along with them. When a player suffers a concussion, their brain is brutally shaken and bounced off of the walls of the athlete’s skull.