A Concussion Research Paper

One hard blow to the head, Zack Lystedt’s helmet bounced right off the turf. He laid there but, he soon got up to his feet and to the sideline. The next 15 minutes he was back in the game and playing like a star. During the last play of the game, the other team was about to score and win but he makes a head to head tackle to save the game. This was the second hit which changed his life. Zack faced second impact syndrome and was sent to a hospital in Seattle on the edge of death. He was in a coma for 3 months and could not talk for 9 months. Zack still has to be in a wheelchair (Tarshis). Concussions have occurred in football for decades and players like Zack still risk their lives when they step on the field. Many players ignore the injury

When a concussion occurs, the brain is slammed against the inside of the skull and can be bruised. The brain tissue can tear due to different parts moving at different speeds. The ion and chemical ratio becomes unbalanced, causing nerve failure and unconsciousness. Oxygen is limited, slowing recovery. Multiple concussions and swelling can cause progressive cognitive decline which is like dementia (Brain Facts). According to author, Lauren Tarshis, “Some symptoms of a concussion are immediate, like loss of consciousness. But often signs are more subtle and don't show up until hours or days after the injury which can be forgetfulness, confusion, headaches, balance problems or dizziness, light or noise sensitivity, sluggishness or fogginess, irritability or emotional symptoms, concentration or memory problems and blurred vision.” So if an athlete was to get a concussion they might not even know right away and put themselves at risk by continuing to play. As seen with Zack, second impact syndrome could be fatal and ruin your life. Concussions are not rare either. Each year an average of 140,000 football athletes, alone, deal with the injury. In the NFL, 100-120 concussions occur a

Some changes have been made but are not enforced. There is room for more though. The prohibition of the double layered helmet should be enforced more often. Though they sound more protective, they actually defeat the purpose of the helmet and can create vulnerability for an injury. Radios in helmets should also be banned because quarterbacks usually have them and can get blindsided (Plaschke). In 1997, author Bill Plaschke stated That, “Dan Kult, director of technology at Riddell Inc., which makes the official NFL helmet. ‘But what we don't truly understand is how concussions occur.’” Today we know what concussions are. Now we need to create a better helmet that can lower the chances of concussions. Another idea could be adding a microchip to evaluate stress on players and if the impacts are too high the players should be checked by professionals (Starr). People have been getting concussions from hitting the turf like Zack Lystedt. On professional fields, the fields could be made in something less hard to soften impacts (Tarshis). There are some new requirements that should be mandatory. If a player is suspected to have a concussion should have to pass a memory test. This helps know the player did not lose memory which is an effect of a concussion. The player would not be able to return to play until the test is passed (Plaschke). Making the tests more