...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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...Concussions in Athletes Patrick Austin DeVry University Concussions in Athletes Junior Seau, a favorite player of many professional football fans, committed suicide in 2012. Although Seau seemed to have everything going his way, he quietly suffered from depression, one of the many symptoms of repeated concussions Those close to Seau knew something was not right the man they all knew and loved. Some of them just chalked it up to him adjusting to life after football. Many players go through an adjustment period after stepping down from a glorious career in the limelight. However, this was not the case with Seau. He was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE. What is unique about Seau’s suicide is he shot himself in the chest. The common belief is he did this to preserve his brain for scientist to study how it was affected by suffering many concussions during his 20 year football career. And, eight months after his death, the scientists who examined his brain announced they had found evidence of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a dire neurological disease linked to concussions, which has been a factor in the deaths of many other NFL players (Penn, 2013). The fact that a player would kill himself because he was suffering from symptoms of repeated concussions speaks to the importance of properly diagnosing and treating head injuries. Other players have suffered from the symptoms of brain trauma. Some, like Dave Dureson, have even taken their own lives. These...
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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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...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 to do differently when treating head injuries? Junior...
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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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...At least, 300,000 sports-related concussions happen each year nationwide of all ages (Tanner,2). In high school athletics, they happen at a rate of 3 per 10,000 practices or games (Tanner, 2). Many leagues and association across America are being affected by this concussion epidemic. Many players are saying the leagues are not doing enough about it and are profiting off the injuries. This causes many of the leagues to be sued. The topic of National Football league concussion safety has been in the middle of all of the smoke, and there will always be supporters and critics who continue to debate this topic. Concussions happen in sports every day, they are very common in contact sports. First off, a concussion is a brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body that shakes the brain inside the skull (WebMD, 1). When you get a concussion, you may not think clearly there are a whole bunch of symptoms that can happen, it can be your thinking or it can be physical. A concussion can last up to a few hours, or they can last days or weeks (WebMD, 4). How long your concussion is really depends on how hard you hit your head. A concussion is caused if your head is hit hard enough that the spinal fluid surrounding your brain is not enough from cushioning your brain from hitting your skull (WebMD, 1). The only way...
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...Pasch Effects of Sport Concussions Sport concussions are a major scare in all sports today and it’s a problem in youth leagues as well as professional sports. While an athlete plays a sport they will suffer multiple concussions throughout their career in sports. In the last 3 years in high school football 400,000 concussions occurred. Concussions are a problem, at times is hard to detect, because the symptoms are sometimes hard to spot and in many cases symptoms can last for day, weeks, years and even life time. Through study they found that adults can heal faster than young athletes, and they can heal in just two weeks. Sport concussions are becoming bigger problems in all sports and researchers are trying harder to find how concussions occur, how to prevent them to make all athletes safer while playing and how to make sure all athletes are safe to play after a concussion. One way to help preventing concussions is to understand how they occur. Fist a concussions is defined as a complex pathophysiological process that affects the brain, typically induced by trauma to the brain. A concussion happens when there is trauma to the brain. Trauma can happen when you take a blow to head region. It can also happen when you get something called the whiplash effect to the body. The whiplash effect is when the impact to your body accelerates your head causing the trauma to your brain. With contact sports there are many ways concussions can occur. In any tackling sport, without proper tackling...
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...Concussion Management Plan Purpose: Head injuries is a growing issue among physically active and athletic populations. This project is designed to increase your awareness as a future healthcare professional and improve your preparedness in effectively recognizing at risk individuals and appropriately treating them. Link: heads up to clinicians program link Submission: This paper should be submitted on turnitin.com using the following: Class ID: Class name: Password: Technical Standards: 1. Title slide with Name, NSU ID #, title of paper 2. Paper should be at least 2 – 3 pages 3. Times new roman, 12 point font, 1 inch margins, 1.5-2.0 spacing 4. include page numbers at the bottom of each page 5. Proper sentence/paragraph structure is expected. 6. Professional tone and presentation of information is expected. 7. ABSOLUTELY NO QUOTATIONS IN THIS PAPER FOR ANY REASON Subject Matter: 1. Take the entire “heads up to clinicians” course. 2. Take the quiz at the end of the course and pass the test! 3. Print out your certificate following your successful completion of the quiz related to course materials. 4. Develop a concussion plan incorporating the following points incorporating information presented in the heads up for clinicians program: See attached outline Grading criteria: o Grammar/spelling o Accuracy of information o Organization/quality of insight o Creativity Heads Up...
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...This essay will argue that sports teams from high school to the NFL need to 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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...Concussions are a type of brain injury; however, it’s the most minor form of a brain injury. Concussions are caused by blows to the head, neck or upper body – whether it is from playing a sport or even an accident during daily activity. These blows cause your brain to bump and slide within the inner walls of your skull – which in turn can result in a concussion. Concussions can lead to a loss of consciousness, but most don’t, which is why many people with concussions don’t realize that they have one. Concussions are also fairly common, especially if you play contact sports like football. Fortunately, most of the time, concussions are mild and its effects are temporary. Nonetheless, every concussion injures your brain to some extent, which is why it is important to take time to rest and heal. (Next slide) There are two different grades of concussions, which are based on its severity. A simple concussion is where the person experiences symptoms that improve and disappear in 7-10 days. Complex concussions, on the other hand, are where the person experiences persistent symptoms that last longer than 7-10 days. Doctors also consider it a complex concussion if the person passes out or has a seizure at the time of the injury. (Next slide) The signs and symptoms of a concussion can be subtle and may not be immediately apparent. Symptoms can last for days, weeks or even longer. Common symptoms right after a concussion are headaches, loss of memory and confusion. Some other signs...
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...Concussions are the most common type of brain injury and the least serious type of injury to the brain. Concussions are caused by a blow to the head that causes damage to the soft tissue to the brain. The brain is surrounded by a layer of spinal fluid inside the skull that acts like a cushion during normal movement. When you receive a hard hit, it causes the brain to move around inside the skull. The result is bruising to the brain and damage to the blood vessels and nerves inside the brain. This causes the brain to not be able to function normally. It can disturb the vision, resulting in sensitivity to light or blurred vision, and may cause the injured person to lose their balance. In short, the brain becomes confused and cannot function...
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...Wow! What a big hit on the receiver. I don’t think he’s getting up anytime soon.” This statement is made by many TV announcers during NFL (National Football League) games. Hard hits are a major part of football, but they also come with their consequences. All kinds of injuries can occur from devastating hits, but the most destructive injury is the concussion. According to a video done by Sports Science, “100,000 concussions occur in all levels of football, and 60% of these are from head-to-head collisions.” According to an article on NFL.com, “154 concussions were reported in 2010, while there were 127 in 2009. Statistics show a 21% increase in head injuries.” In order to reduce the amount of concussions suffered by players, not only should the NFL put in new rules to protect the players and improve equipment, but the NFL players also need to do their part during and after their careers in order to keep their bodies healthy. When the offensive player is catching the football, he is in a defenseless position. He not only has to catch the football, but he also has to watch out for the defender. Many times, the defender tries to prevent the offensive player from catching the football. As a result, he unleashed a hard hit on the other player. Because of these hits, both the offensive and defensive players are put in a position where they are highly susceptible to a head injury. Basically, this situation is caused because of the defensive player; therefore, the NFL should take action...
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...9 December 2014 The Big HIT in the NFL: Head injuries are changing the way the game is played I firmly believe that the future of the NFL and all of its players is in jeopardy of being lost as the American sport as we know it simply due to the fact that too many injuries are occurring in the NFL today than what was happening in the past. Sure past players got hurt, but players now hit ten times harder, play ten times tougher, it’s obvious they are due for a serious injury, it’s just a matter of time and when, surely 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...
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...repetition saying, “play through the discomfort and pain, it sucks not but it will pay off in the end.” Many athletes are taught that sports are all about fighting through struggles; if that task cannot be completed then they are not resilient enough for sports. “Despite the NFL’s best efforts, however, football is an extremely physical and violent game, in which concussions and head injuries are inevitable. Players continue to hide concussion symptoms from coaches and trainers to avoid being taken out of a highly contested game and possibly even losing their starting positions permanently” (Drysdale 427). In the long run it is better to address the injury right away instead of trying to stay in the game. It would be most beneficial to sit out the few games required for recovery, than to play and worsen the injury. NFL players did what any athlete would do and stay in the game, regarding whatever their condition was. They did this to avoid the disappointment their teammates might see in them, but also the satisfaction they would get when...
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...FSU Winner Florida State’s Caitlin Quinn has been named the NSCA’s Assistant Strength Coach of the Year. http://www.seminoles.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/112613aaa.html Critical 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 ...
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