Sports: The Role Of Concussions In Sports

A concussion is, “a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth” (“What is a Concussion?”). Concussions can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and sleepiness. Although these symptoms seem terrible, these are only short term symptoms of a mild concussion. More severe concussions can cause life-long problems with memory, learning, coordination, emotion, and even sight (“What is a Concussion?”). One poor play can cause a severe concussion and, furthermore, a permanent end to the life the player knew before the incident. While not all concussions are that critical, every concussion has consequences. Unfortunately, thousands of high school players face these consequences annually. Studies show that, “Some 67,000 high school football players suffer concussions every year, according to official tallies, and many more concussions go unreported” (“Farewell to Football”). Even if an exceptional football player beats those odds, one in every twenty NFL players suffers from at least one concussion in his career (“Farewell to Football”). Players under the age of eighteen are even more likely to experience severe brain damage from the game. According to ESPN, getting hit hard on the field can be the equivalent to being hit over the head

Today, one of the more common injuries in youth sports is a concussion. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs after a player has either taken a hit to their body that has caused both the head a brain to quickly jerk back and forth, or by a sudden shock or knock to the head. With the force and sudden movement, there is movement of the brain which can cause chemical changes that can lead to permanent or stretching the brain cells. By the above definition you can start to think of many instances in sports where a player can receive a concussion.

Concussions have huge negative effects on the brain. Repeated trauma alters the structure and function of the brain. Researchers have used MRIs to demonstrate that maltreated children have smaller head size and brain volume compared to children with no history of maltreatment (De bellis. Keshavan, Clark, Case, Giedd, Boring et al.,1999; Mulvihill, 2005). Smaller brain sizes may be responsible for lower intelligence or cognitive ability, less impulse or emotional control, motor development delays, diagnosis or mental and psychological disorders and poor socio-emotional and or psychological function (De Bellis; Glaser, 2000). Some the the symptoms that occur after a concussion are according to (Aubry, 2002, pp.6-18) unaware of period, opposition, score of game, confusion, amnesia, loss of consciousness, unaware of time, date, place, headache, dizziness, nausea, unsteadiness/loss of balance, Feeling “dinged” or stunned or “dazed”, “Having my bell rung”, Seeing stars or flashing lights, ringing in the ears, and/or double vision. After a possible concussion any one or

Concussions are becoming more and more common in professional athletes. Concussions can weaken a team, take athletes out of games, and even end athletic careers. They can also cause permanent disabilities and disease that cannot be cured. Professional sports leagues/organizations are receiving lawsuits and complaints about the growing amount of head injuries. Many athletes and fans want organizations such as the NFL or NHL to make rule changes to prevent concussions. Football being one of the leading causes of concussions, along with women 's soccer and men 's hockey, the NFL is often the target of complaints and lawsuits

First of all, if athletes don't wear protective head gear they can get all sorts of injuries. In source B it states “While the first hit can prove problematic, the second or third head impact can cause permanent long-term brain damage. Cumulative sports concussions are shown to increase the likelihood of catastrophic head injury leading to permanent neurologic disability by 39 percent.”. Concussions can cause long term brain

More than 300,000 sports-related concussions are reported each year in the United States, and although the awareness of concussions and other head injuries is rising, concussions are still very dangerous to young athletes. Some may say that after an athlete receives a concussion, they just have to wait until the obvious, and most common symptoms like dizziness and nausea subside before they can play again; with medication, and constant rest, this may only take 2 weeks, however, depending on the severity of the injury, there could be some other underlying symptoms that are even more dangerous than the obvious ones. After a having a concussion, student athletes are also much more prone to a second, more severe, traumatic head injury (especially

    Concussions in sports are a very serious subject, including it’s recovery and prevention. Concussions have affected many athletes and even normal people and too many concussions could end up having serious consequences later on in life. Sports leagues and doctors should be taking more precaution in making sure everyone stays safe and healthy.

A concussion by definition is a “traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions.”(Mayo Clinic) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) records about 2.5 million traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year. Concussions can happen anywhere but many come from physical sports such as hockey, lacrosse, soccer and especially football. The symptoms for a concussion

Scientists do not know what happens on a molecular level inside the brain during and after a concussion (Reynolds, 2013). No one should return to play or vigorous activity while signs or symptoms of a concussion is present. Experts recommend that an athlete with a suspected concussion not return to play until he or she has been medically evaluated by a health care professional trained in evaluating and managing concussions. So-called “second impact syndrome” was first described as the phenomenon of sudden death from rapidly progressing brain swelling due to a second concussion sustained soon after a first one. High school athletes who sustain a concussion are three times more likely to sustain a second concussion, according to the Brain Injury Research Institute (BIRI, 2016). It is true that in rare cases, a traumatic brain injury can lead to a catastrophic neurological decline — or even death — from rapid brain swelling, especially in children and young adults (Cornell,

Concussions are a problem that nearly all athletes competing in a contact sport will go through. Whether it be boxers, hockey players, skateboarders, or football players, most can usually recognize a concussion. Some say they “See Lights,” or “Hear Ringing,” with over 3000,000 concussions happening in football yearly, concussions can also occur in sports such as gymnastics, cycling, and even martial arts. A concussion by definition is a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to one’s head by either a fall, bump, or other injury that results in the shaking of the brain within the skull. It is important to understand what a concussion is, so you can prevent possible long term affects to one’s cognitive

A concussion is a sudden blow, which applies a blunt force to the brain, traumatizing it. It is also a change in brain function which follows a blow to the head, may be accompanied by a temporary loss of consciousness, is identified in awake individuals, and includes measures of neurologic and cognitive dysfunction (Carney et al., 2014). A concussion can affect in short-term and long-term consequences on health. Most episodes of concussion may end up with short-term consequences; however, a single episode of concussion may lead to long-term health issue. The most common causes of concussion are accidents in high velocity vehicles and sports that engaged lots of body contact, such as football, ice hockey, and boxing.

Physicians describe a concussion as an immediate and transient neural function post traumatic impairment such as vision disturbance, alteration of consciousness, and other signs which result from brainstem involvement. An impulsive force or direct head blows leading to head acceleration are the leading causes of concussion in sports. However, not all reported loss of consciousness mean it is a concussion. The public mostly associates concussion with sports such as football, ice hockey, and boxing and it is not a major problem in other sports. The assumption is that most of these sports-related traumatic brain injuries that occur are concussions. Sports concussion is a

The concussion rate in young athletes has increased over the years. As of 2012 3,800,000 concussions were reported which was double than in the year 2002. Other statistics reported in 2012 where 33% of all sports concussions happen at practice. 39% -- the amount by which cumulative concussions are shown to increase catastrophic head injury leading to permanent neurologic disability. 47% of all reported sports concussions occur during high school football1 in 5 high school athletes will sustain a sports concussion during the season. 33% of high school athletes who have a sports concussion report two or more in the same year. 4 to 5 million concussions occur annually, with rising numbers among middle school athletes. 90% of most diagnosed concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness. An estimated 5.3 million Americans live with a traumatic brain injury-related disability (CDC). There are many sports to get a concussion. Athletes get a concussion through athletic exposure. Athletic exposure is when one athlete is participating in one organized high school athletic practice or competition, regardless of amount of time played. These sports have considered to be the most likely for concussions to happen. Football: 64 -76.8 Boys' ice hockey: 54 Girls’ soccer: 33 Boys’ lacrosse: 40 - 46.6 Girls' lacrosse: 31 – 35 Boys' soccer: 19 - 19.2 Boys’ wrestling: 22 - 23.9 Girls' basketball: 18.6 – 21 Girls' softball: 16 -

Every day, 138 people in the United States die from injuries. A concussion is a an traumatic brain injury that alters brain function. An estimated 3.8 million sports related concussions occur in the United States each year, and concussions are very common. Symptoms and signs of a concussion include severe headaches, not being able to think clearly, not being able to concentrate in regular activities you would be normally able to do, becoming very emotional or your sleep is being affected. Symptoms of a concussion may not be immediately apparent. Symptoms can last for days, weeks or even longer depending on your treatment after the concussion has occurred. Concussion complications such as Post-concussion syndrome or Second impact syndrome can

“CDC reports show that the amount of reported concussions has doubled in the last 10 years. The American Academy of Pediatrics has reported that emergency room visits for concussions in kids ages 8 to 13 years old has doubled, and concussions have risen 200 percent among teens ages 14 to 19 in the last decade” (Head Case, 2013). It is reported that between 5-10% of athletes will suffer concussion during any given sports season. Football is the most common sport with concussion risk for males with a 75% chance. It has also been found that 78% of concussions happen during games as opposed to during practices (Science Daily, 2014).