Informative Paper On Concussions

2392 Words5 Pages

In late October, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Brian Westbrook suffered a concussion in a game against the Washington Redskins. He sat on the sidelines for two weeks, recovering but when he returned to play on Nov. 15 against the San Diego Chargers, Westbrook got yet another concussion, putting his season and his career in doubt. Westbrook 's immediate re-injury raises the question: should he have been playing at all? And just how many football players are returning to play too soon after concussions, or not having the seriousness of their injuries recognized? On Dec. 3, in the wake of much debate over the long-term damage concussions do to players, the National Football League announced new rules governing concussion management. …show more content…

There will continue to be dangers for athletes in just about any sport. But concussions can lead to serious health issues such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. Concussions and CTE are serious conditions that have to be taken seriously in order to help prevent serious health disorders later in life for millions of people. We are talking about the long-term effects of repetitive concussions. The key word is “repetitive.”It is easy to see that there is quite a bit of knowledge about concussions, but not so much knowledge about the long-term effects of repetitive concussions.The symptoms of concussions are immediate and obvious. However, typically the symptoms of CTE start later in life. For athletes, often the symptoms start after they retired from their sport. The symptoms and timeline for these symptoms can vary per person. Currently, the only way to definitively diagnose CTE is through postmortem neuropathological autopsy, which is done after death.Newfound concern about the wellbeing of football players has focused on the tip of a very large iceberg. Parents, schools, and athletes worry that thousands of amateurs each year may be suffering head injuries similar to the ones that make us gasp during NFL games. But there 's a worse possibility: The most serious brain injuries at all levels of the sport are going completely undiagnosed and undetected. It gives me no pleasure to say this. I am a fan who eagerly awaits game day and the ultimate redemption of my long-suffering

Open Document