Essay On Head Trauma In Sports

We have seen it in sports from time to time, the graphic images of head contact in competitive and recreational games that makes one shudder and cringe. The Urban dictionary states that a “concussion is a temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head”. It also describes the after effects as “confusion of temporary in capacity”. In the movie “Head Game”, directed by Steve James, the documentary follows football players and hockey players. The former professional wrestler and Harvard graduate Chris Nowinski teams up with James while on a mission to uncover the truth about the consequences of playing sports that have a great deal of head contact.

In the documentary, Nowinski says that changes that can be made in these high impact sports

that would benefit players and families from future concussions, is to just play by the rules. Most of the rules that are established today with these types of sports are under close scrutiny. In the National Football League (NFL), the referees are taking on the additional responsibility of protecting the NFL players by watching the tackles in the game and making sure there are no helmets first hit to their head and necks. Also, the NFL has extended its rules to prevent their players from taking shots above their shoulder to limit head injuries and concussions.
Although speculative, one would be inclined to believe that the reason society tends to turn a blind eye to the horrifying effects of head trauma in sports is because a lot of the fans and general managers want to win and want to make money and entertain for sales.

Another reason is the income the organization makes. For instance, the NFL and the national hockey league (NHL) are the top two sports to obtain concussions according to NeuroTracker. However, the NFL alone generates about 3.6 billion dollars a year. With that type of income they don’t speak on head trauma very much because they could potentially lose business which translates to income. Let’s look at this further. If there was a situation when Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers had a serious concussion and had to sit out the whole season, the National Football League would lose revenue because their two biggest prodigies of the company aren’t able to play. This would start public conversations and perceptions about how bad concussions are to the sport with such famous players

affected.
What is CTE?

CTE stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and is a progressive deteriorating disease of the brain. This condition is mostly found in athletes. CTE is repetitive brain trauma, containing symptomatic concussions and asymptomatic sub concussive hits to the head. CTE is a major health problem in collision sports, especially when you are aging. The NFL already has quite a few players suffering from CTE and some who have lost their lives from this disease. Some who have been affected are, Mike Webster, Frank Gifford, Dave Duerson, Tyler Sash and others. Tyler Sash is the most recent and youngest victim to develop this disease and die from it. With the growing stats and debates one can conclude that CTE can be considered a possible health risk playing sports. Although administrators will develop strategies (eg. sensor helmets to measure hits) and rules to minimize the risk of a concussion, it is reported that one can have a brain injury without a recognized concussion. This means that without a diagnosis of a concussion, hits that jolt the brain can lead to changes in the brain and these changes are related to the frequency and intensity of the hits. Therefore, football or hockey, players who tend to have the most hits to the head or body appeared to have developed problems with memory and cognition. It is important to note that young players may experience learning and memory deficits as well as brain changes even when jolts to the head don’t trigger a

concussion.

What can we do to make collision sports safer for kids so they don’t receive concussions? This can be accomplished by teaching the fundamentals of the sport they’re playing. The best way for kids to avoid sports related concussions is mastering the techniques of that sport which can be achieved by teaching the child balance and encourages harmless plays on the field or court. Another way we can make it safer for kids is selecting a coach who really understands concussions and won’t put a child’s safety at risk, just to win. It is also important to educate children about concussions and help them understand game safety and knowing when to take a charge and when not to take chances when they play. In addition children should not play contact sports until they’re at an age where their bodies are fully developed and can better respond to the impact that they are bound to experience when they play that respective sport.
In conclusion, concussion is a medical concern in the sports industry but the frequency and intensity of hit is of relevance as no one knows who is prone to long term effects of the impact. We have seen successful athletes who had long careers in contact sports and became millionaires and heroes to our young ones. It will be difficult to discourage these young ones from a society that value hard work and encourages one to go chase their dream. The fact playing contact sport is a risk and one has to personally make their own decision by examining the gains and losses. The good news, we are having a discussion and it is educational as it bring to our minds that one need to be cautious and play by the rules. The more communication one has the more they become aware. As we educate ourselves we will spur into action to ensure that we work together to make the sport safe and enjoyable.