...Literature review A concussion is often referred to mild brain injury by medical professionals. The study of Gerberich published in 1983 was one of the first widely cited articles to deal with concussions in high school football and spanned the years 1978–1982. Emily A. Harrison, a doctoral candidate in the History of Science Department at Harvard University researched, sports concussion has become a prominent public health problem in the early 21st century, also referred to as “The Concussion Crisis.” Harrison found that Football-related concussion contributed to much of the epidemic burden and inspired a lot of public awareness. The crisis has been around for more than a century. In the first decades of the sport of football, concussions...
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...4/30/15 Concussions; Worse Than They Appear There is no better past time in the United States of America than American football. American football has been the favorite sport in America for the past decades. However, there have been studies which prove that football is incredibly dangerous to the players health. Studies have shown that football has caused concussions to players, damaged players permanently, and the higher chance of a shorter life. From thorough amounts of research; it’s proven that football causes concussions. Concussions occur when “the brain repeatedly collides with the skull, most often due to a blow to the head. Violent shaking of the head and upper body also can cause concussions”(Concussion Management in Football: Don't Shake It Off). Contrary to popular belief, concussions won’t always make the individual go unconscious for a period of time. Yes, that is true, but not all the time. Chris Miller, a retired quarterback, experienced the effects of a concussions when “he was knocked out of bounds and flew headfirst into equipment storage bins on the sideline. He got up and walked back to the huddle. The wrong huddle. Miller was confused, an effect of the concussion” (Concussion Management in Football: Don't Shake It Off). Although Miller didn’t lose consciousness, he still experienced a devastating concussion. After Miller got his first concussion all the rest concussions have been getting worse and worse. When he experienced the second concussion he lost...
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...Reflections of Concussions Doctor Omalu studied the lethal form of illness in the brains of former football players, and how they have already turned into a long and painful fight. Omalu was a black man and also an immigrant. NFL coaches were so in denial of the situations that were being discussed. This is a terrifying implication on concussions. Omalu work on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy also known as CTE. This movie “ concussion” is spiritually and emotionally accurate all the way through. This is the best study that we have on NFL players and mortality, yet its findings never seem to enter public consciousness. The simple truth, that former players aren’t dying, that in lots of ways they’re much healthier than you or me , smacks against...
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...Every year, roughly 1.6 to 3.8 million athletes in the United States alone suffer from a concussion (“13 Things You”). But, almost half of these concussions are not reported and therefore not treated (“13 Things You”). Of all sports contributing to the concussion total, football is by far the main contributor. “High school football accounts for 47% of all reported sports concussions, while 33% of these concussions occur during practice,” (“Head Case - Complete”). The main reason for this could be improper technique and teaching, neglect, and other factors. But for these players, high school is followed by college and possibly the National Football League (NFL), where concussions get much more attention and criticism. Concussions in the NFL...
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...Most of professional football players or children who play football are in the high risk of having concussions. The question is what is a concussion? There are a lot of researches and true stories about football players that are connected to concussion and I am sure that you will be surprised about our popular sport. “A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works” (Hearens 94). The word concussion regularly connected to boxing that the players get many hits on faces and heads. However, the first concussion case in football was found by Dr. Bennet Omalu who discovered the truth about Mike Webster’s death. The story that the NFL didn’t want to admit. If you are a...
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...discussion regarding traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussions has been inflamed within the media. Prior to this time little research was conducted regarding various forms of TBI, concussions, and enduring consequences of experiencing a TBI. As a result of the many soldiers returning from the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI diagnosis, much research has been directed toward this field. A sizeable contributor in the media recognition of the significant impact of TBI and concussions is the popularity of the National Football League (NFL) and college football. Players in various professional and college football leagues have long been experiencing TBI as a result of the contact nature of the...
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...Football is the epitome of strategic warfare, encapsulating violence, might, strength and valor into a colossally barbaric sporting event. Hall of Fame legend, and former wide-receiver of the New York Giants, Frank Gifford once said, “Football is like nuclear warfare. There are no winners, only survivors." Over the last fifty years, football has grown to become America’s most popular game, however, this fame and glory is accompanied by an alarming rise in tragic accidents on the field of competition. Even with rules and regulations meant for the protection of both the players and the integrity of game, traumatic injuries are escalating at an alarming rate. In all leagues ranging from pee-wee to the National Football League (NFL), the athleticism and size of the players are at an all-time high and continues to increase each season. However, such increases in athleticism have highlighted the greatest flaw in modern football: the iconic football helmet has become the single most destructive weapon in sports. Helmets have become the heads of missiles that launch through the air and crush into opponents’ skulls, leaving players with closed head injuries as a result of multiple concussions. The football helmet found its roots with the leatherheads; however the false sense of security and protection the helmet provides has led to the worst injuries the sports industry has ever seen. The multiple hits to the head can and will eventually lead a player to the emergency room with a concussion...
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...focus more on the dangers of concussion sin football. In sports everyone who commits to playing for an organized team knows that there is a large risk involved by the time you are stepping onto the field, Court or Ice Rink. One of the most common sports that athletes are being injured in is the sport of football. Every one knows the dangers of the the full contact sport because it is so widely commercialized in for all ages. From High School all the way to the NFL football is a big deal but what about the injury's that come along with playing this violent game. Concussions are one of the most common injures that occur out of the football field and it has...
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...Playing football as a kid was always every little boys dream of one day becoming a professional player in the NFL. Suiting up in cleats, shoulder pads, and helmets was always a fun time. Back in high school when the coaches would make you have two a day practices to get ready for the fall. In the back of the players minds, and even their parents is the idea of a very bad injury or even a concussion. What is a concussion you might ask? Concussion is a temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head. The term is also used loosely of the after effects such as confusion or temporary incapacity. Concussions can be very difficult to spot especially since plays don’t necessarily have to be knocked out in order to receive a concussion. This is why players who suffer from head injuries are often told to shake it off and get back in the game. Many concussions in high school go undiagnosed due to lack of staff, player, and family knowledge about concussions. Being able to recognize a concussion is the first step in protecting athletes. Ways to recognize a concussion that has either been knocked out or still conscious would be if a player feels dizzy, confused and forgetful, complains about headaches, and/or vomit or feels nauseous. Concussion symptoms can either occur right away or in some cases they can begin weeks later after receiving the hit that caused the concussion. Concussions have been around since the beginning of time even out of sporting events like Football. Times have...
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...ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION Relationship Between Concussion and Neuropsychological Performance in College Football Players Michael W. Collins, PhD Scott H. Grindel, MD Mark R. Lovell, PhD Duane E. Dede, PhD David J. Moser, PhD Benjamin R. Phalin, BS Sally Nogle, MA, ATC Michael Wasik, MEd, ATC David Cordry, MA Michelle Klotz Daugherty, MA Samuel F. Sears, PhD Guy Nicolette, MD Peter Indelicato, MD Douglas B. McKeag, MD T HE MANAGEMENT OF MILD TRAU- matic brain injury (MTBI; eg, concussion, defined as a traumatically induced alteration in mental status not necessarily resulting in loss of consciousness) in athletics is currently one of the most compelling challenges in sports medicine. Despite the high prevalence1 and potentially serious outcomes2,3 associated with concussion, systematic research on this topic is lacking. Many sports medicine practitioners are not satisfied with current return-to-play and treatment options, which do not appear to be evidence based.4-6 There is also little research examining whether long-term cognitive See also pp 954, 958, 971, 974, and 989. 964 JAMA, September 8, 1999—Vol 282, No. 10 Context Despite the high prevalence and potentially serious outcomes associated with concussion in athletes, there is little systematic research examining risk factors and short- and long-term outcomes. Objectives To assess the relationship between concussion history and learning disability (LD) and the association of these...
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...Introduction The National Football league is America’s most popular sporting league, drawling millions of fans each year. Fans wear jerseys, hats, and other merchandise to represent their favorite player(s). However, over 70% of National Football League fans, don’t realize the battle players (and retired players) have been facing for the past 20 years. For the two last decades, players have been facing life-threating health challenges that have resulted in mental illness and even death. The National Football league failed to acknowledge these medical conditions until 2010. The argument faced is whether or not players should be allowed to file a lawsuit against the National Football League, even though players sign contracts which has a acknowledgement of the possibility of injury during gameplay and practice. In 2013, the National Football League had revenue of $9.5 billion, not including the amounts that the teams earned throughout the season. A total of 1,696 players played for 32 teams in 2014. Football is the most physical athletic sport played, in the Untied states of America. Injuries are often expected to occur to players each year. However, most players only expect to miss a few games before they return from an injury, not realizing the potential risk of long term injury. Every play on a National Football League field consists of head to head contact between some player, or with the ground. Retired National Football League players have proceeded to file a civil...
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...avid fan of North American football. What would tell your friend about the potential neurological consequences of playing football and what is currently being done to prevent neurological injuries? The first thing I would say is that while football is certainly fun and entertaining to watch, the human body was not designed to handle the frequent hard hits to the body and head as a result of playing the sport. Unfortunately these professional athletes end up suffering from brain damage as a result of our thirst and fascination for hard hits and violence. I would explain that while football helmets seem safe, they truly only provide very minimal protection against concussions that cause the brain to bounce, shake and rotate back and forth hitting against the wall of the human skull as a result of frequent football tackles that appear harmless to those watching the sport. To ensure the message hits home, I would bring up examples of their favourite former NFL players such as Hall of Famer Mike Webster who actually suffered neurological effects of playing the sport. It is important to highlight the most severe consequences first, which is that playing football can cause severe trauma to the brain as a result of multiple concussions that these athletes regularly experience. This trauma starts to destroy the integrity of the brain cells, causing a degenerative brain disease known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). High levels of CTE in a football player’s brain can result...
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...The minimum income for a rookie NFL player is four hundred five thousand dollars but does it compare to the toll the game takes out on their body” (Jenkins)? There is a growing list of ex-NFL players who have developed physical and mental issues, and there have been many successful studies proving that there is a correlation to their time in the National Football League. One of the more disastrous injuries caused by the physically draining sport is CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). Injuries like these bring up the question of whether the NFL is safe for players. Football can be a dangerous sport and there is already efforts to make it safer however there is very little effort to help the people who are still suffering from their career as a...
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...Occupational Safety and Health Case Study Draft Introduction Concussions have casted a dark shadow over sports throughout the last decade. They are the most common head and brain injuries suffered by athletes. A concussion is “a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull” ("Concussion - WebMD: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention"). The major problem regarding concussions is that they are not visible to the human eye. Concussions occur all the way from Pop Warner leagues as a child to the professional leagues. My friend has played football his whole life. Unfortunately, he has been plagued by concussions ever since he started to play the sport. He is a prime example of an ordinary kid who plays a sport he loves, but has altered his future forever. Commissioners are actively trying to reduce the number of head injuries that occur while playing. However, the main problem regarding head injuries in sports is that players tend to rush back to their respective sports, without proper testing and treatment. This results in athletes risking their playing careers, a life filled with long-term head complications, and eventually putting their lives in danger. As an injured athlete, there comes a point where you have to ask yourself, is rushing back to the game really worth a lifetime filled with head injuries and complications? So what do team doctors need...
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...Society Concussions in Sport: An Analytical Discussion “I had no idea what a nickel was (Kevin Kolb, The Concussion Blog).” NFL quarterback Kevin Kolb has suffered three major concussions since 2010 (Galliford, Buffalorumblings). His most recent one just this past August effectively ended his football career. This is just one example of the many in which multiple or severe concussions have cut short careers in sports. The issue of player safety in sport has become a topic of controversy and debate in recent years. Many professional leagues such as the NFL and the NHL have adopted strict concussion test protocols and procedures for its players. Player safety has no doubt become a major concern in contact sports. The problem is, many of these regulations have yet to address what happens after playing careers are over. What happens to former players’ mental and physical health after they retire? How do players whom have suffered multiple concussions playing contact sports live their lives as opposed to players whom have played non-contact sports such as golf or baseball? What will be questioned in this analysis is do known players that have suffered multiple and/or severe concussions throughout their playing careers due to playing a contact sport develop abnormally high levels of mental and physical health problems at an early age? Previous history on the attempts to lower the frequency of severe injury and concussions have shown advances...
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