AUSTIN, Texas — This week, Texas will launch what state officials say is the nation's largest effort to track brain injuries among young athletes.
The University Interscholastic League, Texas' governing body for public high school sports, is partnering with the O'Donnell Brain Institute at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center for the project, from which they hope to gauge whether rules or equipment changes are improving player safety and what more can be done to protect athletes.
A state as large as Texas, which has more than 800,000 public high school athletes, would be a key step in developing a national database of brain injuries in youths, officials say. Already, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seeking
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The CDC has estimated that up to 3.8 million concussions occur in sports and recreational activities each year, but some experts wonder if those numbers underestimate total brain injuries, as some individuals may not seek treatment for mild or moderate …show more content…
Other states have researched head injuries, too.
In Michigan, which requires schools to report concussions, a recent concussion study showed 755 schools reported 4,452 head injuries in the 2015-2016 school year. Football had the most — 1,907 — and girls basketball ranked No. 2 with 454.
It tracked details such as whether the injury occurred in practice or a game, whether athletes had to miss class and how long it took them to return to competition. That research is being shared with Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports.
The Texas study will collect more concussion data than it has before, University Interscholastic League deputy director Jamey Harrison said. Currently, Texas requires only one school from each district report concussions as part of a weekly injury reporting system, though each school in the football playoffs is required to report concussions.
"Right now it's a sample that is just a snapshot. It's not scientific," Harrison said. "We need to move beyond
These rates and numbers need to be addressed so that us as student athletes can have a safer and more enjoyable experience in the realm of college sports. The rate of brain injuries in sports have only increased with time, and our awareness on them and ways to avoid them should as well. I hope that these facts will allow the athletes in the room to become more aware of their decisions and they way that they think about the game they love.
Recent studies in science have concluded that multiple concussion injuries puts the player not only at immediate risk for problems, but long term health effects including memory loss. Even the most experienced player and coach may not have the proper training or education on recognizing or treating concussions. Concussions in sports remain a large problem. According to CDC research, it is believed that as many as 3.8 million concussions occur in youth through college sports. Unfortunately, less than half of these concussions are properly diagnosed and treated. The reason why so many concussions are left undiagnosed is because of lack of education of officials and coaches, and understanding of the long term effects.
In one’s life, the brain is able to recover from ONE traumatic injury like a concussion. One is the limit, no more. Then it comes to sports in the high schools and colleges, and almost half of their team that has/had a concussion. It would also depend on the degree of the concussion if it would be safe or not to play. Students have gotten seriously hurt from sports though. In high school football alone, there is on average 300,000 concussions per year in the US. (The following statistics are in 14 year olds or younger.) In cycling, there is about 34, 366 concussions per year; in basketball, about 11,359. And then in both baseball and
Athletes in the 21st century are pushing themselves and their teammates to their limit, to try and be the best they can. Whether that is in a game situation, weight room, or practicing on the field, pool, or gym, accidents happen and can happen anywhere. It doesn’t matter if you are a guy or a girl, this accident happens to many athletes in a variety of sports. This sports injury is a concussion and it truly does affect any kind of athlete in any kind of sport. Concussions aren’t acquired in every sport, but they can happen. In the last few years concussions have become a growing problem for athletes from high school to professional athletes. Are concussions as bad as doctors and the news are making them out to be?
Picture a college size stadium filled with parents, students, and fans. Overflowing with crisp fall air and trembling with excitement for kickoff of a high school football game. The whistle blows, ball is kicked , the sound of pads and helmets colliding. But then the second whistle blows and you see your teammate lying on the ground unconscious. Now nothing but that white jersey laying motionless on the turf matters to you. Trainers then EMT’s rush over. They put a brace on his neck, his body on a stretcher and rush him off the field. These are the types of hits apparent in high school age football. Now double the size and speed of that impact. Concussions happen in almost every sport but not in the same severity
The Improvement in equipment has greatly decreased the cause of brain injury in high school sports. Now, in 2017, we have equipment far superior to even ten years ago. Also, now have a better medical understanding
The rate of concussion in the US has been rising. There are more than 300,000 sport related concussions in the US every year, University of Pittsburg Brain Trauma Research Center. All parents and coaches should know what concussions are and what they can do to the brain. Signs and symptoms need to be known to help prevent farther complications.
“There are between an estimated 1.6 and 3.8 million sports-related concussions in the United States every year”(“Statistics”) Concussions can lead to death or permanent injury. A concussion is a brain injury that causes long term brain damage. Some football players will hide injuries, so that they can continue to play the game. Rules have been changed to protect the players health, for example if a player is suspected of have a concussion they are not permitted to play without getting checked out. Football concussions have a long lasting effect on physical and mental health. Concussions also affect how the game is played and regulated.
Concussions in high school sports doubled from 2005 to 2012. High School’s put in a new rule called “Return to Play” this rule was put into place so players waited the right amount of time to come back after receiving a serious head injury. Coming back to quick with a concussion can get you hurt even more or possibly cause permanent brain damage. Studies show that a concussion from a high school athlete takes longer to recover from than for older athletes. Also, studies show that even teenagers are at risk for head trauma not just adults and older athletes. Between 2005 and 2012, four thousand twenty-four concussions were diagnosed in nine sports. This is a very high number for just high school sports alone. Concussions have went up in 5 sports mainly those sports are football, wrestling, baseball, basketball and softball. Therefore, concussions have not only effected football. Many people fail to realize how many athletes are truly affected by a
A research study conducted by Purdue University examined the brains of high school football players. They compared the changes of brains that had been affected by concussions and brains that hadn’t been. Surprisingly, both brains showed an amount of tissue damage (Nader and Reed 1). This further supports the idea for firm concussion regulations, through the fact that concussion symptoms are not always easily recognizable. Many concussions are never diagnosed because their symptoms are so mediocre and unnoticed.
In 2006, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 1.6 million to 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur each year in the United States (Langois, Rutland-Brown, & Wald, 2006). Sport-related concussions are a subset of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and are defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain (McCrory et al., 2012). The typical signs and symptoms associated with a concussion include confusion, amnesia, headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of balance, and/or poor concentration (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Approximately 2 million high school athletes suffer from concussions per year. Of those injured, 500,000 result in doctor’s visits and 300,000 land athletes in the hospital. The biggest concerns with concussions are repeated blows and long-term injuries. SWATA reports that 96% of Americans feel that it is important for youth athletes to be seen by a healthcare professional before returning back to the game, and I am betting that you are one of the majority.
Many kids around the country are not playing sports due to concussions. “Recurrent concussions to several high-profile athletes, some of whom were forced into retirement as a result, have increased awareness among sports medicine personnel and the general public.” as posted by http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC522153/. Parents are concerned about their child's safety in sports. All
Over 300,000 TBIs, traumatic brain injuries, occur annually in sports alone (Harvey). Concussions being one of the most common yet severe of injuries in sports require more regulations and guidelines toward preventing such a traumatic injury. One of the few laws set in
“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).