Concussions In Football: A Case Study

The history of concussions in football brings up suspicions and questions about the safety of the sport. The number of devastating head injuries has been on the rise in little league football and desperately need to be addressed. A study from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that between 2001 and 2009, emergency room visits related to traumatic brain injuries from sports increased by 62 percent for those younger than 19 years. Of these numbers, boys 10 to 19 showing the highest rate of concussions (Smith, 2014). Many parents and coaches believe that because the children are so young that they are unable to get seriously hurt. However, studies show time and time again that this is not the case. Due to the

underdeveloped brain of boys aged 10-19, these drastic concussions are much more life threatening than anticipated. Only a fool would not consider a change in the system of the pads used in the sport as well as the age restriction being much more strict. As if that is not enough, the immaturity level and self-awareness of health in boys that young have proven them to not report concussions when they do get one.

The safety guidelines of football must raise the minimum age requirement in order to lower the number of concussions suffered by children who are too young to comprehend the dangers of hurting an undeveloped brain.

The brain of an adolescent is too underdeveloped to be placed in such high risk situations, such as contact sports, because damage can become permanent at that young of an age. Brain development is a tedious process and involves multiple stages. It is not capable of safely surviving a hard hit because the brain essentially floats inside the skull. The impact of a concussion causes the brain to bounce around the inner walls of the skull and act similarly to a bobble head. In a study done in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering, fifty youth players on various teams were analyzed over one season through accelerometers placed around the inside of the helmet to measure the strength and location of hits taken to the head. The results showed that 41 percent of hits were absorbed at the front of the helmet and 21

percent in the back of the helmet (Belson, 2013). At the forefront of the brain is the frontal lobe. It controls vital functions of the mind including reasoning, problem solving, judgment and emotions. Because this is the last region of the brain to mature, when a youth football player takes a hit and causes damage to this area, the effects can be remain for a lifetime. It is not until a human is 24 years old that this part of the brain is fully developed, so one can only imagine how fragile it is at only seven or eight years old. At the back of the brain is the parietal lobe, which controls hand-eye coordination and the ability to recognize objects as well as taste and touch. This area is also one of the last to develop in the brain because it is one of the most complex and important lobes. While the brain is still growing, children should restrain from partaking in dangerous contact sports to ensure a full and healthy brain development. Many people do not realize the dangers of the sport and believe that the children are too young to hit one another hard enough to cause problems. Little do they know that youth football is beginning to have worse injuries than high school or ,often time, college leagues due to the innocence of the children and their fragile bodies. Parents seem to be uneducated of the risks involved with their children's actions in a football game. In another study done in 2013, it was reported that youth football players are injured at rate of three to four times higher than elder players (Straus, n.d.). Many parents and coaches alike extremely misinterpret the threat that contact sports pose on a growing child. To think that these athletes are being injured on a college level at only seven or eight years old is mind boggling. Any disruption to the brain during its constant action can be especially damaging. The short-term effects may often times only be mild but the long-term are frightening. The brain is the control center, and without it the body would be nothing, so why place it in endangered situations when children have the rest of their lives to play football? While the concussion may often times seem mild, it still has the capability to impair the player's learning ability. The nation’s largest youth football organization, Pop Warner, recently announced new safety guidelines. These rules include limiting the amount and type of contact drills allowed during practice. Their goal is to decrease the amount of opportunities to sustain an injury (Attwood, 2012). However, the CDC states that 78% of concussions occur in games as opposed to practices (Concussion facts, n.d.). Pop Warner understands there is an issue but is unwilling to allow game before to be jeopardized. Not allowing players to perform contact drills at practice only makes them less prepared for the contact they will be experiencing come game time. Losing everyday skills from a trauma to the head seems senseless; therefore, youth athletes should restrain from engaging in contact sports until age fourteen to ensure full development of the brain.
Equipment used in youth football leagues today gives a false security about how much protection they are truly providing.

As mentioned, the adolescent brain is delicate and any amount of damage can be produce life-long effects; therefore, it is vital to sport the most defensive accessories that are made. Even though advancements have been and will continue to be made, there will never be a “concussion proof” helmet. According to the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, a helmet must contain four components: a hard outer shell, a thick layer of padding, a face mask of coated carbon steel, and a chin strap with a protective cup (Safety tips, n.d.). The hard outer shell is to absorb the impact from the hit while the thick layer of padding is to prevent the shell from bashing into the skull. The facemask is used for obvious reasons of protecting the eyes, nose, mouth, and other facial features. Additionally, the chin strap is there to cushion the chin while also stabilizing the helmet on the head. All of these elements used together are supposed to protect the brain of all players on the football field and, in turn, prevent concussions. So, why doesn’t it? After investigating juvenile football players, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, “nearly two million brain injuries are suffered...every year, with another report showing a big hit is equivalent to the impact of a 25 mph car accident” (Headrick, 2012). Encouraging children

to play in youth football is similar to encouraging children to jump in front of a car, yet somehow one is encouraged while the other is unacceptable. A hit of that magnitude can change the way the brain functions. The damage that can be done in a football game is overlooked and needs to be taken more seriously. CBS News reports, “a Virginia Tech study of seven and eight year olds showed them receiving hits of 80 Gs, the same force dealt by college players” (Dahler, 2014). The young athletes are not immune. G-force is the measurement of the type of acceleration that causes weight on the body. In comparison with the study, the amount of Gs measured when the Sprint missile took off was 100 (Sprint, 2003). To think that parents are placing children in a situation with a force only 20 less than a missile take off, only relying on a plastic helmet to protect them is unbelievable. The helmet can not prevent concussions; it can only reduce the likelihood of them causing damage. The league should be required to inform spectators, parents, coaches, and players of the truth behind the equipment; they are at high risk of injury with even a mediocre hit.
At such a young age, the maturity level of youth players is too low for them to make conscious decisions regarding their body’s capabilities. There is no way for them to be able to gage how badly they are injured and they do not understand the repercussions of remaining in the game. Permitting the child to play the sport is the parent’s decision; however, the parents are not there on the sideline or in the child’s body to fully understand the trauma. Due to their underdeveloped brain, adolescents are more likely to act impulsively, get involved in accidents, and partake in risky behavior. They are less likely to think before doing, consider the possible consequences of their actions, or avoid inappropriate behavior (The Teen Brain, 2011). Youth players should not be placed in a situation where they must make a decision regarding the health and safety of their bodies. This is simply because they are not mature enough to make the correct one. No athlete wants to be taken out of the game; therefore, he often covers his symptoms or gives false information to the coach to avoid being taken off of the playing field. He believes it takes strength, courage, and persistence to be an athlete and doesn’t want to be perceived as “weak” in the eyes of his teammates. This pressure to take part in the sport and be an allstar often influences players to put on a deceitful front and continue to compete. There are no specific tests to diagnose a concussion; therefore, it is only by word of the players that coaches and physicians can by. More often than not this is nothing. Common lines may include “I’m fine” or “It’s nothing” or that they can “tough it out.” These are all prevalent signs of injury. The most important thing for athletes to do after being hit is to immediately report any symptoms or unusual changes to their body. Dizziness and headaches are two of the most commonly reported symptoms after experiencing head trauma. Nonetheless, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an “estimated 47% of athletes do not report feeling any symptoms after a concussive blow” (Concussion facts, n.d.). Thus, the problem extends to where the player isn’t even aware of their head trauma and will return to the game. The damage to the brain will then begin to worsen. Furthermore, the only way to protect a developing brain and prevent concussions is to restrain from the risky situations involved with tackle football.