The documentary Head Games directed by Steve James follows former football player and ex-wrestler, Chris Nowinski, on his mission to uncover the truth about the consequences of playing sports related to concussions. A concussion is a brain injury that you cannot see and where the brain moves around in the skull. More than 3.8 million concussions occur a year due to a sport. The documentary raises the question of whether protective head-gear should be worn in all contact sports. I believe a head is more likely to sustain more damage to the brain without a helmet than a head with a helmet.
Daniel Goldberg wrote in his essay "Concussions, Professional Sports, And Conflicts Of Interest: Why The National Football League’s Current Policies Are Bad For Its (Players’) Health” about how players' brains are affected by these injuries, but since the NFL’s policy was more relaxed players were sometimes forced to go back into the game even though they were injured. Goldberg brought up in one claim that since the NFL had no set process dealing with concussions there was no limit for when player’s could return to action, and since that was true NFL coaches would rather have their players out on the field rather than letting them sit out and fully recover from the damage due to the impact that they can have on the game. (pg 4, paragraph 3 and 4) Effects of this could be seen in Ted Johnson’s case (pg 4-5) where he suffered numerous concussions when he was forced to participate in games and full contact practices before being fully healed due to the lack of regulations on concussions. And before the previously mentioned claim, Goldberg brought up the case of former player Mike Webster.
In this source, specifically in the “Concussions” section, Reed Karaim explains that many athletes are leaving their sports in order to maintain their brain health. Although the NFL and NCAA are taking strides to better protect their players, there is only so much that can be done. Being a “freelance journalist”, Karaim is left relatively unchecked, but he objectively paints the picture of concussions in athletes. He writes this article particularly to the avid college sports fan who wants to know what goes on behind the scenes.
If they are diagnosed with a concussion, they may not return to practice or game action or talk to the media until they are medically cleared by a doctor and each team must consult an independent neurologist (NFL head, p.
However, it is also important to note that a concussion can also take place outside of sports, meaning it can happen to anybody. For instance, there have been incidents where a person tripped while running, fell, and the impact of their head’s contact with the ground caused a concussion. Or, in a car accident many front-seat passengers, or even the driver, have slammed their heads against the dashboard/steering wheel, also possibly resulting in a concussion. Concussions when treated can be healed in a timely manner. Unfortunately, throughout history, there has been a tendency for people to overlook a concussion as a serious injury, therefore, making it more problematic than it already is.
Studies have concluded that not just one concussion increase the risk for subsequent concussions but rather a frequent history of concussions may lead to slower recovery functions. The risk of permanent brain injury each time you receive a concussion increases. Article #1 said that high school students alone are three times more likely to receive a second concussion if they experienced one the first season. The point that is being made is that the more frequent the concussions without time to recoup nor assess the damage proves to mine highly detrimental to athletes. This issue raises awareness to the importance of needed time for the players to have after being diagnosed with a
“About 43 percent of injuries overall happened when athletes collided with another player” (Rapaport). You can have many symptoms, there is many ways to prevent having a concussion. Concussions are common in soccer and they can be prevented by many different ways. Some studies show that the concussion bands won’t prevent concussions but they will reduce the force impacted on your brain when you hit another player or equipment.
Concussions are a very serious issue. The doctors and safety officials need to treat it accordingly. Athletes should sit out long enough to allow the brain to heal completely. If a concussion is sustained to a victim at the high school or collegiate level, the patient should be ruled out for the remainder of the game, at least.
Although, this is definitely a safe option, athletes out of high school are less likely to experience brain damage after getting a concussion. When high school athletes are allowed to play again based solely on symptoms (or lack of), they are more susceptible to further injuries, therefore, it is safer to require them to sit out for a longer period of
Unlike a sprained ankle or a broken arm, the medical fraternity is unable to make a standard blanket treatment plan for concussions since every case can take a different course. The brain is such an organ that can never be understood completely and does not function in the same pattern in adults as it does in the case of children. Added this, there are a number of symptoms that may cause a concussion to be often diagnosed or misdiagnosed at all. The legislation already leans onto the conservative side, yet until more innovations are made, even stricter restrictions could lead maintenance of brain health and better care in case a player is concussed.
Coaches as well as parents should be aware of all the symptoms a concussion. Coaches should take classes on training on how to identify a concussion. Coaches and Players should
The need for players to be checked often should be mandatory and administered more often to keep players safe. As coaches and trainers find out more about concussions so does the testing improve on athletes. Traumatic brain injuries affect all those who play in physical sports. One study says, “They can cause symptoms such as loss of consciousness, confusion, and headache, as well as long-term side effects.” (“Sports-Related”).
When student athletes participate in contact sports, they run the risk of getting a concussion. A concussion, according to The American Academy of Neurology, is defined as "A trauma induced alteration in mental statues that may or may not result in loss of consciousness". Short term effects could cause a change in mood, along with headaches and nausea; whereas long term effects of a concussion can range from drastic behavioral changes and mood disturbances to cognitive difficulties. These symptoms are very prevalent in student athletes that may get a concussion and can only get worse when one has been re-concussed. I believe that student athletes should be required to sit out for a longer period of time following the events of a concussion.
Over 2 million children suffer concussions in sports every year. Many of these concussions go untreated and without proper treatment, these concussions can lead to serious health problems. Concussions are important because if they aren’t identified and treated it can lead to complications in an athlete’s life down the road, things like CTE can affect their mood and decisions later in life, possibly leading them to make choices they wouldn’t normally make like blowing their money, doing drugs, alcoholism and even committing suicide. People should be doing more to prevent and treat concussions in sports, specifically in football. Although people say that concussions are too hard to track and that the science is too new to rely on, symptoms of a concussion can be
Athletes who have a prior concussion face greater risks of developing critical symptoms of concussions and that can lead to slow recovery (Agel and Harvey 319–323). On some instances, concussion can lead to permanent damage and can even become
