...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...
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...Concussions have been an increasingly controversial topic for many years with both reports on an increase of concussions to more awareness towards the issue, how both effects can happen at the same time is a puzzling mystery. The overall opinion of two medical professionals interviewed is that there is more awareness of concussions, causing more concussions to be diagnosed. From constant lawsuits and present and former athletes speaking out against sport associations, concussions are clearly having a large impact on society. According to Tria Physical Therapist Carly Mattson PT, DPT, OCS, a concussion is either caused by an injury or impact to the head or neck. Although once believed that concussions always caused unconsciousness, that is not always the case. “A...
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...Introduction Concussions and CTE are extremely important in today’s society and have a strong connection with the sport of football. The current popularity of concussions today is due to deaths of former athletes who have suffered from CTE and concussions. As we learn more and discover new information on this subject, we can better develop our sciences to help treat people who suffer immensely from concussions and CTE. To narrow my research, I focused on the amount of concussions in the NFL. Also I focused on studies done by Boston University on deceased football players. With that being said, these studies led me to my research question: How many NFL players/former players could be affected by CTE? Literature Review CTE is a disease that...
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...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 if players are not properly equipped with the appropriate safety gear. Football has become America’s sport and thus, many high school students are participating in the sport. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 7.2 million high school students participate in football each year (Sport Related Injuries). With the increase in number of players, the...
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...Condition A California high school football player is in critical condition after suffering neck and spinal cord injuries during a game. http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/corona/corona-headlines-index/20131124-santiago-football-player-remains-in-critical-condition.ece State Total More than 4,400 middle and high school student-athletes in Massachusetts suffered head injuries last year, according to reports filed by the schools. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/25/mass-schools-report-head-injuries-among-athletes-compliance-with-concussion-law-rises/njPFK6a92knIhcvY9UGxdN/story.html Refueling Product A new product can allegedly help athletes refuel during competition by providing precise carb and electrolyte recommendations based on a quick analysis of their sweat. http://www.prweb.com/releases/FuelstripMMA/UFCBellator/prweb11284260.htm Vegan Praise Several top athletes credit veganism with playing a key role in their success. http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/elite-athletes-reveal-the-vegan-diet-secret-behind-their-success/story-fneuzkvr-1226768537898 Baseline Challenges Three new studies of baseline testing highlight the difficult of accurately assessing an athlete’s true baseline ability. http://www.momsteam.com/studies-show-pitfalls-in-baseline-neurocognitive-testing Milk Lawsuit A judge has provisionally approved a $5.3 million settlement in a lawsuit filed against Muscle Milk that alleges the company falsely markets its products...
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...Concussion Awareness Among Athletes The packed stadium all holds their breath. Everyone except the player who is about to catch the ball sees what is going to happen. Then just like that it happens, the loud collision of two bodies slamming into each other, helmet to helmet. The player who just tried to catch the ball drops it on impact and now lays motionless on the field. He gets up with help and walks slowly off to his sideline. This athlete has just suffered what professionals in the medical field call a concussion. This article will be taking a deeper look into what happens to a players brain during a concussion, signs of a concussion, and what rising athletes can do to prevent these concussions. Concussions have been an ongoing controversy as of late in the world of sports and it comes with good reason. Though concussions are most prevalent in football, they are common across the entire sports spectrum. A concussion occurs when the head is hit directly or indirectly, causing a chemical disturbance within the brain that can have immediate consequences. An estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions occur each year (CDC 2012). The numbers will always be very broad when it comes to concussions because so many athletes refuse to take themselves out of their games and a majority of the time they neglect to report any concussion symptoms to a trainer or coach. Lets take a look at some of the factors that contribute to athletes neglecting their concussions. A university study...
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...advances the ball using their forehead. The head takes the force of the ball. Recent evidence shows that it is possible that headers may cause player concussions or produce long-term brain damage. Many former and current professional soccer players as well as some National Soccer organizations have taken part in the fight against headers. Critics and researchers assert that heading the ball in soccer is more damaging to the brains of children and females. With these dangers, the laws and recommendations related to heading in soccer...
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...Concussions in Athletes Concussions in Athletes Introduction Athletes are faced with a number of health issues including injuries that could require surgery. It is also important to note that there are a number of athletes who have died while participating in sports. Sadly, most athletes do not report these problems in time albeit they are aware of the symptoms that accompany such sport-related health problems. Concussion is one such health problem that is affecting athletes, especially high school students. It has been reported that most of athletes tend to avoid reporting symptoms of concussion in order to avoid being sidelined from playing (Diagnosing and Treating Sports-Related Concussion, 2014). In the United States, it is estimated that up to 3.8 million athletes suffer from concussions linked to high impact sports (Diagnosing and Treating Sports-Related Concussion, 2014). There is, however, a feeling that the figure is under-estimated in the sense that most athletes as well as their coaches are not conversant with the symptoms of this particular health issue. Therefore, concussions in athletes are a serious health issue which should be addressed immediately. There is need to inform athletes and all stakeholders in the sport industry on the symptoms of concussions as well as their capability to be fatal in order to help athletes seek treatment to avoid repetitive concussions which would lead to deaths. The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader, especially...
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...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 in memory loss, agitation and even increased anger management issues. It can also cause death, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). This neurological trauma affects your ability to regulate your...
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...Head to Head Collisions: A Real Knock Out Audience- All football players and their parents. Also those fans of the NFL who believe the new rules are taking away from the game. Purpose- Address the recent changes in the NFL concerning the rules against helmet to helmet collisions, and make those involved aware of the dangers of footballs most common and most dangerous injury. Matt Gfeller was the average teenager living in a small suburb town in North Carolina. He grew up loving the game of football and dreamed of the day he would start on the high school varsity team. On August 22, 2008, during the fourth quarter of his first varsity game, Matthew suffered a severe helmet to helmet collision while making a tackle at outside linebacker. This accident caused a fatal traumatic brain injury, putting Matthew into a coma. Matthew never regained consciousness and died two days later on Sunday, August 24, 2008. Tragically, events similar to this happen all too often in the fast-paced, hard hitting game of football. The National Football League has recently taken steps to keep its players safer on the field by making all helmet to helmet hits illegal. Many players and fans alike claim it is taking away from the game, but many ex-NFL players and parents of younger players such as Matthews’ would disagree. They believe that the new reals regarding helmet to helmet impacts should be enforced and helmet standards should be raised to further protect the athletes. The NFL and other...
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...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...
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...Concussions in the NHL Today in the National Hockey League, concussions have become a serious reoccurring problem. Some of the league’s best athletes have had to end their professional careers prematurely, because of concussions. Gary Bettman, the NHL’s President, general managers of each team, and the National Hockey League’s Players Association, have been trying to come up with a solution to reduce the numbers of concussions each year. The NHL’s regular season ended the second weekend of April. Soon after the NHL announced that this year the league recorded the most concussions ever. The NHL is failing to reduce the numbers of concussions each year. So we ask this question, is the NHL doing a good enough job of protecting its players from this serious injury? Sidney Crosby, the superstar of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and arguably the best hockey player in the NHL, has been sidelined with a concussion problem since January 5th. During the Winter Classic game on January 1st, Crosby collided with David Steckel of the Washington Capitals. After the hit Crosby laid face down on the ice for some time. In obvious pain Crosby skated back to the Penguins bench to talk to his team’s medical staff. Hockey players have the mentality of being tough, so Crosby took his next shift, and played the rest of the game. During his next game, against the Tampa Bay Lighting, Crosby took a hard check into the boards again taking a hard to the head. This time he wasn’t so tough. Crosby skated straight...
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...MBA 5652 Unit 1 Research Proposal Topic Exercise 1 My top ten research topics that I find interesting to pursue are the following: (1) approach for extra ( increase in minimum wage) income and advertising, (2) concussions in football, (3) should transportation security (TSA) regulations be changed ?, (4) should regulations regarding the use of cellular phones while driving be standardized ?, (5) should driving under the influence (DUI) laws be changed ?, (6) concealed guns be permitted in stores, (7) computer forensics, (8) financial crimes, such as embezzlement, (9) cyber terrorism, (10) cyber criminology, internet child pornography. The new approach for extra income appeal to me because as a consequence of the current enhancement in minimum earnings, there is an boost in the optional profits of existing marketing foundation. Concussions in football also appeal to me because I have two children that play football and I do not want them to experience the problems that college and pro players are having. I believe that the transportation security (TSA) regulations should be changed so that it allows the TSA to protect the United States and its populace. In my opinion the regulations regarding the use of cellular phones should be standardized because different states have different laws regarding the use of cell phones. The last topic in my top 5 is should the laws concerning DUIs be changed. I say yes they should, meaning right now some states have the blood alcohol...
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...Concussion “Concussion is the sudden but short-lived loss of mental function that occurs after a blow or other injury to the head. It is the most common but least serious type of brain injury.” (NHS UK, 2014) A concussion can occur when something/someone comes in contact with the head leading the brain to hit off the skull with force. People who regularly play competitive team sports such as American football and rugby have a higher risk of concussion as it is a full contact sport. The physiological response with concussion include headaches often described as similar to migraines in that they cause a throbbing pain on one side or the front of the head. The person may also feel dizzy, sick and fatigue along with having sensitivity to loud...
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...they make millions each year, but is all that money worth the risk of losing your life or possibly harming it? Imagine this, you’re at your sons final football game as he’s a senior about to graduate, he’s got the crowd rooting for him, he’s the one who snaps the ball, yes the quarterback of the team. The defense is running full force, showing blitz when suddenly “ WHAM!” he takes a huge hit from a defensive player and stays laid out on the floor , suddenly coaches and staff from the team rush to the field while he remains still, the crowd silent , awaiting the outcome . Slowly he gets up with the help of the staff and coaches, he’s then carted to the locker room by team staff where they tell the parents that they are checking him for a concussion because it’s UIL protocol when it comes to hard extensive hits taken by a defenseless player. Not one person who loves football can deny that the big hits and huge plays are the main reason we watch the game, but has anyone ever stopped for a second to observe how dangerous the hits can actually be and how they can affect a player and their families long term? We often hear about how NFL players current and from the past are being accused or charged with domestic violence, assaults, murder, and other heinous crimes, but often we over...
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