...place on the football field? This is an occurring issue that we see happen in our daily lives. Every now and then, you hear in the news about an athlete coming down with a concussion. Concussions arise when an athlete experiences a vicious blow to the brain. Over the years, the National Football League has made efforts to make the game safer by implementing helmets and protective gear. But the use of safety equipment in the NFL has still not solved the problem of a degenerative brain disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). “In CTE, a protein called Tau forms clumps that slowly spread throughout the brain, killing brain cells” (Concussion para. 1). CTE...
Words: 1446 - Pages: 6
...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...
Words: 1578 - Pages: 7
...Football is one of the most popular sports in the United states. However it is also one of the most dangerous sports out there personally I believe it is too dangerous to play in high school. Football players sustain more than half a million injuries nationally. Injuries such as concussions, fractures and worse of all chronic traumatic encephalopathy or more commonly know as CTE. CTE was first discovered by Dr. Bennet Omalu a forensic pathologist and neuropathologist Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The NFL and NCAA are implementing and regulating rules to make the game safer for players. Football is the leading sport in sport related injuries. In a research conducted by the Center for Injury and Research and Policy at Columbus Children's Hospital...
Words: 737 - Pages: 3
...Years ago, coaches referred to concussions as “having your bell rung” and were never considered as a serious injury. Athletes would simply skip a play and would be given smelling salts. After that, they would be back in the game in no time. Concussions now have been linked to life-threatening injuries in many athletes. Today, concussions are the most common football injury by young athletes and are becoming more frequent each year. Coaches, players, trainers, physicians and parents need to take better precautions when dealing with concussions and with their help concussions will not be as life threatening as they are today. Multiple concussions suffered by athletes can lead to psychological problems long-term. A scholarly person once said, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Even though the person was actually referring to people taking advantage of school, it now can be applied to football. A concussion is an injury caused to the brain which can cause loss of consciousness, confusion, blurred vision and ringing in the ears. Multiple concussions can be life-threatening, career-ending and serious. Concussions used to go unnoticed by players and coaches and they referred to them as “having your bell rung”. Players would return to the field after a short rest. Today, the NFL and sports teams across the United States are sitting up and paying more attention to the medical profession when it comes to concussions. Concussions are dangerous, cause permanent damage to...
Words: 1651 - Pages: 7
...It is predicted that sportsmen who are diagnosed with concussion more than once will be exposed to long term effects of concussion, such as decreased activity in the primary motor cortex resulting in a slower reaction time. Introduction: The brain is an organ that serves as the centre of the nervous system in all humans. The brain is located in the head, encased in a skull usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. The brain is the most complex organ in the body of most living organisms. In a human, the cerebral cortex contains approximately 15–33 billion neurons, each connected by synapses to several thousand other neurons. These neurons allow the brain to send messages throughout the body actions such as movement. Structures...
Words: 1364 - Pages: 6
...Everybody has seen or played sports once in your life, you could have even gotten injured from high impact sports. Maybe even a serious injury like a concussion. From reading the article “Hard Knocks” it really helps you understand about how sports are very dangerous, especially football. High impact sports have caused many long term health effects like concussions and CTE. First of all is how high impact sports has caused concussions. “Concern over concussions has filtered down from the NFL to colleges, high schools, and youth leagues…”(pg.15). This quote shows that now all ages are getting concussions which is not good because it could affect the in the long run. “A typical high school football player receives about 650 hits to the head...
Words: 257 - Pages: 2
...Concussions are an injury when a person takes a hit to the head. Concussions normally happen when playing sports like football. Adults whose kids play in football may not let the kids play football anymore because of the long-term effects of concussions. Many players that get concussions end up getting brain damage or CTE. Many concussions are overlooked and can put the concussed player at risk for more concussions. Kids love playing sports espestionaly football, but the more kids play sports the more aggressive they can be while playing. This can lead to the player taking a hit to the head which can lead to concussions. As parents have there kids get concussions the less they will like the sport. And when they pull their kid out of that sport they won't watch that sport on TV then starting a chain where fewer people will participate in that sport. Sometimes the concussion can get overlooked leading to worse injuries....
Words: 531 - Pages: 3
...Concussions and how they changed the history of football The game of football is constantly evolving with the new gear and technology coming on to the scene. The game has rapidly changed over the past couple of years due to the discovery of concussions in 2002. Most football fans may realize that concussions seem to occur almost every week during football games. This may leave you wondering, what is a concussion and how do they occur and what is being done to prevent them? Concussions are caused by a sudden force to the head or body that causes the brain to actually bounce in the skull, which then damages and bruises brain cells causing the brain to change chemically. The concussion was discovered by a Nigerian born physician, forensic pathologist...
Words: 967 - Pages: 4
...in the 1880's, football has always been a high-contact sport. Since then, it has been enjoyed by people all over the country. Although football was mainly invented for fun, it can be very dangerous. Many men have had concussions, torn ligaments, and even death just from playing football. The biggest and most common of these injuries are concussions. Back in the 1900's, concussions were not considered as serious as they are today because there was uncertainty about them. Unfortunately, we still deal with concussions today. Medical experts are now positive that concussions are severe and the most dangerous aspect of any sport - especially football. A concussion is a TBI (traumatic brain injury) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Chronic...
Words: 763 - Pages: 4
...that football players endure is extremely admirable however, these “big hits”, also known as repetitive trauma to the brain, are causing erratic, irregular behavior, suicidal thoughts and can cause a number of life changing effects towards people and families. The more aware and knowledgeable the world is to brain trauma, the more studies can...
Words: 931 - Pages: 4
...Almost every single athlete that has played football has obtained a concussion or the symptoms of one. Concussions are the injury that everyone pays least attention to but little do they know it has more of an effect than they think. Neurologically speaking concussions cause damage to the nerve cells in the brain which can affect the rest of the body. The more damage those cells take the slower the recovery time. Consequently, once those cells take more damage than they can handle they will die off like any other cell would. Do players really stop and think about the damage that could be caused to brain without the proper safety put in place? With the data collected there is more than enough to prove the fact that concussions can and will cause permanent brain damage. If football players in any level were taught the seriousness of a concussion and the permanent effects it has on the human brain, many players would stop and reconsider the rules that are placed upon them. Concussions are not an injury to take lightly, they have been the shadow of death upon many football players who didn’t take the injury seriously. According to Lili-Naz Hazrati, Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is the term coined for the neurodegenerative disease often suspected in athletes with histories of repeated concussion...
Words: 674 - Pages: 3
...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...
Words: 3380 - Pages: 14
...country's national celebration of football, a game Dr. Bennet Omalu, the doctor who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), calls our "collective societal intoxication and addiction." From an entertainment perspective, football is more popular than ever. Attendance figures, television ratings and the growth of fantasy football tell us that. However, while the game's popularity might be on the upswing, so is the scientific evidence that football is hazardous to the human brain. And it's not just concussions. "In terms of the truth, it is not about concussions," said Omalu in a recent interview with sport and culture writer Patrick Hruby. "It is about blows to the head." Long term, repetitive sub-concussive...
Words: 843 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...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...
Words: 1810 - Pages: 8
