It was without a doubt that every American is familiar with the fanatic insanity that follows the game of football. Moreover, for those who are unfamiliar with American culture, most would be amazed how much football influences American society; specifically the nation’s adolescence. As a matter of fact, it has been estimated by the National Federation of State High School Association that “there are approximately 1.1 million high school players” in the country (Petraglia et al 4). However, despite football’s popularity among youth, it is irresponsible for a parent to allow their son to play football without knowing the significant abuse a child will endure on the field. In reality, Football is a cruel barbaric sport that exploits the safety …show more content…
Concussions are a common brain injury, yet are nothing parents should overlook for the safety of their child. Having said that, it has been reported that “3.8 million Americans”(as qtd. in Solotaroff 3) suffer concussions each year with the majority being children in contact sports (Solotaroff 3). The word most know as concussion actually comes from the latin word concutere: meaning “to shake violently” (Concussions and Our Kids 2) ;which, is essentially what happens to the brain inside the skull when brutally collided by another object ,or in this case another child(Concussions and Our Kids 2). Dr. Robert Cantu, chair of neurosurgery at Emerson Hospital, and author of Concussion and our kids, gives his readers an intriguing insight of what happens inside the player's head when dealt with a traumatic collision. Dr. Cantu states, that when the brain suffers trauma the brain begins to experience chemical reactions in which results in the brain to malfunction; “throwing off its ability to regulate, to transmit signals, and to send messages that control how we …show more content…
Either way, no sport is worth risking one's life for, so why should parents set themselves up for such tragedy. As testimony, in the article “This is your Brain on Football” by Paul Solotaroff, Joan Pelly a mother of a son who played football gives readers insight at how football took away her son Eric(Solotaroff 1). As a matter of fact, Eric was an athletic, all A’s student at his high school, who had only suffered a couple concussions by the time he reached 17; however as the insidious effects of multiple concussions started to catch up a year later his friends began to notice(Solotaroff 2). One friend states, “we ate lunch together and he wasn’t all there, [he] said his head was hurting bad”(as qtd. in Solotaroff 2) also “I met him in the hall and saw the same thing: he couldn’t focus or really follow the conversations”(as qtd. in Solotaroff 2). In other words this was essentially Eric’s body crying for medical attention that he never got because he continued to play and fight through it (Solotaroff 2). Unfortunately, it was too late and Eric seized up during a typical family dinner which resulted in his brain to swell up so much that it “crushed his brainstem and shorted out his heart and lungs”(as qtd. in Solotaroff 2). No parent should ever have to bury their own son at the age of 18, no one will ever
This paper highlights the effects of concussions on the body. This results are from eleven published articles that report on concussions from research. The articles, do however, vary in how the define concussions. Groce and Urankar (2016) define concussions by using the centers for disease control and prevention definition, concussions are defined “as a mild form of brain injury that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head.” Other articles differ in their definitions but all of them do have one thing in common they involve a blow to the head that ends in damage. This paper will examine the results gathered by the articles as well as spotlighting their results. It is important educate everyone on concussions because the impacts could
There have been multiple cases in which a child has severe symptoms of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy due to tackle football. Some of these symptoms include irreversible brain damage, such as depression, memory loss, and suicidal thoughts (“Don’t Let Kids Play Football”). Those who support the banning of tackle football for today’s youth and for future generations are only campaigning to terminate the existence and possibilities of C.T.E. The effects of C.T.E have been found throughout the ages between the teenage years to the 40s (“Don’t Let Kids Play Football”). A chunk of the US population is concerned because these symptoms tend to be permanent and incurable. Yes, football is “America’s sport,” but is it worth the
Football is America’s most popular sport; however, recently controversy has been arising pertaining to the injuries and violence connected to football. Within the last five years the topic of allowing youth to play football has blown up. Though the injuries vary dramatically, what has really been the key subject is head related injuries, typically concussions. Parents around the country are debating whether or not their children should play the sport, specifically contact football. Although football and most sports in general have injury related risks attached with it, there are still arguments why kids around the country should be able to enjoy one of the most liked sports. Reasons such as building teamwork, physical activity and free will can lead to why many believe that there should not be a dispute regarding football.
Concussions can truly mess with an athlete’s brain and can give him or her lifelong troubles.
In medical terms, concussions are described as "a complex pathophysiologic process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces" (Hunt, Paniccia, Reed, & Keightley, 2016, p. 749). Over the past couple of years, the number of concussions in athletics has increased drastically. According to the data released by the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, in the school year 2005-06 there were 133,000 concussions, which was much less than the recent data of the 2014-15 school year of 292,000 (Brzycki, 2016, p. 57). Not only are concussions becoming more prominent, but they accounted for 24.5% of all the injuries in 2014-15 (Brzycki, 2016, p. 57). Although many advances in concussion protocol have been
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
Concussions In Sports Head injuries have been in the news lately because of the many side effects and the dangers they can have on a person's mental health. The most common head injury today is a concussion. A concussion happens when a person has a traumatic blow to the head causing the brain to whiplash against a person’s skull. This is such a big issue because there is so much unknown about everything. For example, many famous football players that have died have been diagnosed with a disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy such as Frank Gifford, Mike Webster, and Dave Duerson.
Football is America’s go to entertainment sport. The NFL hit its peak in 2015, with an average of 114.1 million television viewers throughout the year (“Statista,” 2017). This sport is loved by all, the players, parents, coaches, and fans. But, is football merely entertainment? Is it just a simple game, teaching young boys the value of teamwork, dedication, and discipline? Are parents spending their Friday nights to support their boys, or is there something bigger happening? In H.G Bissinger’s novel, Friday Night Lights, one can see the true effects of this toxic drug through the mindset of the players and the actions of the coaches. While society sees football as entertainment, it actually functions more like a drug.
The hot topic of concussions in football has attracted a considerable amount of unwanted attention in recent years. This problem is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, while our society is oblivious that a problem even exists. Many of us in today’s day in age know someone who has played football at the high school, collegiate, or professional level. The incidence of players who end up with concussions is astounding. It is interesting that someone who has suffered from a concussion can seem virtually symptom free for many years before it causes a number problems. It is estimated that damage to the brain caused by a concussion can last for decades which opens the door for more potentially life
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
With an average of 300,000 cases a year in the U.S alone, concussions have become a major topic in the athletic world. (Gessel et. al 2007) In the mid to late 1900’s many people were under the belief that a concussion was not that big of a deal and kids were rarely checked for an injury. It wasn’t until recent years that doctors actually researched concussions and realized that they were a big deal just like any other brain injury. The rise in concussions awareness has happened because of the lasting effects that numerous concussions can have on the brain. These effects can include an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's, and Dementia. Because of these new studies professional
There’s no doubt that concussions in football has become a major problem, not just for the professional athletes, but for kids of all ages from age 8 to 19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that concussion have doubled in the last decade and The American Academy of Pediatrics says that, “emergency room visits for concussions in children ages 8 to 13 years old has doubled, and concussions have risen 200 percent among teens ages 14 to 19 in the last decade” (Keith Dunlap, The Oakland Press). This shows that the seriousness of concussions is not just an issue at a pro level but an issue throughout all levels of play. The risk is definitely present when you play football but it shouldn’t stop parents from letting their children participate in the sport. Playing organized sports such as football isn’t just a place to get injured, it’s a place where your children can learn the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, toughness, competitiveness, they learn succeed, and also they learn about failure. The parents who don’t allow their children to play sports don’t let their kids learn about these important lessons of organized sports. Football is also a way for kids to take their anger and struggles out in the game and help them express themselves. It can also be a way for kids in bad situations to get a way out, to try and reach the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
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,
Now after explaining what a concussion is, I will now discuss how concussions happen. As explained above concussions are well known in sports and often happen within them. A simple hit to the head can take you out of competition even when you don’t know it. All it takes is for a person to take one bad hit, bump, or jolt to the head for them to get a concussion. In football concussions should almost be expected to occur. When two men are hitting each other repeatedly with their bodies there is always a chance for something to go wrong. Last season for our football team was one that had only a few people diagnosed with a concussion which is something to be happy about. In day-today life concussions can also occur even in the simplest way. My brother was
Football is a rough sport. Many fans of the game watch it for the hard hits. These hard hits and the potential for injury is part of what makes the game so exciting. Some people say that football is too brutal and should be banned. Parents all over the United States don’t allow their children to play because of the risk of head injuries. Others allow their sons, and every now and then their daughters, to play and risk injury for a chance to earn a college scholarship and for a small percentage of players, the chance to play in the National Football League (NFL).