NFL Concussion Protocols, Are they effective? Mitchell Dockendorf
All throughout sports, the topic of concussions seems to become more prevalent everyday. For the past couple years, concussions have become the topic to talk about in the NFL. First to understand how prevalent a concussion is in the sports world, you need to know what it is. As stated on mayoclinic.org, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. Now you can imagine why this is such a problem. Which leaves us to wonder, are the protocols in the NFL working?
The signs and symptoms of a concussion consist of the following: headache, dizziness, difficulty with memory, sensitive to light and sound, and many more.
According to he NFL website, for a
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However Lauer failed to ask why Carolina Panthers quarterback, Cam Newton, was allowed to stay in the game after he had received many vicious hits to the head. So this rises up the questions, are the new protocols effective and if they are being put in place effectively?
According to ESPN website, diagnosed concussions has risen 32 percent from the 2014 to the 2015 season. In 2015 the total number of concussions was 271 opposed to the 206 and 229 in 2014 and 2013.
The new protocols have taken time to be put into effect fully because there was a sudden drop in number of diagnosed after the 2012 season when the protocol was put into place. In 2012 there was a total number of 261 concussions, and then it dropped to 229 in 2013. The dip between 2012 and 2013 may have been attributed to safer game play that is developing over the years. Refs have been taught to call more hits that are now deemed to be illegal due to the injury they may
Since Seau’s death, concussion protocol has been raised hugely by the NFL. First and foremost, the NFL now has an “eye in the sky” for each NFL game that is played. A certified athletic trainer now watches every single play from a press box that’s just above field level. This allows players to have more reassured safety when taking big hits. If there is even a thought of something that these medical trainers’ thinks look serious, they radio in a signal to the medical staff on the field. This is especially helpful since medical staff on the field sometimes miss certain plays. If a player is pulled aside, the then do a six part concussion test to see if they player can remain in the game. This includes consciousness, unresponsiveness, confusion, amnesia, eye sight, and balance. In an article posted by NFL.com, they state the thoroughness of concussion protocol after the steps I listed above: “This sideline test includes the same tests performed as part of the pre-season baseline concussion assessment, as well as some additional questions. Like the preseason evaluation, the test measures, memory, concentration and balance, as well as measuring how quickly and thoroughly the player recalls words given to them at least five minutes earlier. As in the preseason examination, the team doctor asks players to name the month, date, day of week, year and time. The additional questions include specific sideline orientation questions that ask players to identify the venue, quarter of
In recent years the NFL has added several safety regulations in order to protect players’ heads’ and better identify/react to concussions. One of the biggest issues in the past was that concussions were not properly identified so players would continue to play with them. This would result in further injury, and as we saw down the road, long-term issues. That is why the NFL created their “concussion protocol” in order to prevent this from happening. The concussion protocol is broke down into 5 steps:
A little more than 200 concussions occur per year due to football. Easterbrook states implementing these new rules is the key to lowering injuries. Helmet-to-helmet hits are a penalty, and these hits are often one of the root causes of neurological problems. Banning hits on players who cannot see the opponent coming helps keep players alert. Three new changes have caused a decline in injuries among players.
Playing football is always going to be a dangerous sport because you don’t know if you’ll get a concussion. Concussion rating will go up each year and sometimes down when the NFL takes action and trying to protect the players. So why hasn’t NFL take more action on the concussion problem they are having each year and what are happening to the players when they get one. Football teams need to figure out how they can prevent brain damage from concussion by teaching the players how to tackle, understanding the signs of a concussion, and upgrading the equipment that they are
Concussions are positively correlated with direct contact and head on collisions within contact sports. Throughout the years, this issue has been addressed more frequently, especially in football. In fact, “... the National Football League came under fire last year for the harrowing long-term effects of head injuries among many of its former players…” (Sanders) In response, the National Football League’s commissioner “ordered every NFL team to adhere to new policies involving concussion management and said that players cannot return to play until a physician clears them.” (Sanders) This was a controversial move because this means that key players may not be able to return if under the effects of a head injury; however, Sanders goes onto explain how brain injuries can not only
There is now a rule of if a player is hit in the head they must go out and get tested
For many years, the NFL claimed to be working on ways to prevent concussions and other severe injuries; nevertheless, the numbers are continuously rising. Over the preseason and regular season, diagnosed concussions increased 15.6 percent from 2016 to 2017 (243 to 281) and 22.7 percent from 2013 to 2017 (229 to 281) (Maske). The NFL has previously taken measures to lower the numbers, 47 rule changes since 2002 to strengthen the league's medical protocols and protect players from concussions, but those measures were not enough. In 2010, the league expanded its rules to prevent "defenseless" players from taking hits above their shoulders in order to protect them from blows to the head. Also in 2010, the NFL made a rule declaring the ball dead
Through out all these studies, the MTBI was still making concussions sound minor, and not a big problem.They would say that the doctors did not do the research correctly, and they were just assuming. It was not until many fights and four years later when they officially announce that concussions can have long term effects on the players. Also in 2009, they made the return-to-play rules stricter with more criteria (Ezell). Officials are now more concerned about watching where the player gets hit
The quarterback drops back into the pocket and begins looking down field towards his receivers. One of the defensive linemen breaks through the offensive line and the quarterback quickly throws the ball away, but not before he is slung to the ground. As the quarterback lands on the ground, his head cracks back and hits the turf with tremendous force; and despite wearing a protective football helmet, the quarterback suffers a severe concussion. Concussions happen weekly in the NFL to players of all positions due to the tremendous force these players are hit with weekly and need to be noted more carefully. The short and long term effects of multiple concussions can be devastating to the human mind. Not only does the brain suffer long term
The NFL as you probably already know, stands for the National Football League. It is the elite league for the best players and best athletes in the world. These players are in tip top shape and are extremely strong. Now the big question is this. What is one of, if not the biggest problem in the NFL? Concussions. Nate Jackson, a former NFL player and writer says this, “Why is it that men who were the strongest and fittest people alive when they were young degenerate so quickly? That’s the million-dollar question.” With all of the protective equipment and top-of-the-line helmets, you would think that the players are safe from these types of injuries. But, there is a remaining problem of concussions that is still very
The number of concussions in professional and amateur football has been rising and has sparked much controversy in recent years. These concussions are most likely linked with disease and even the deaths of some pro and semi-pro football players. New research is attempting to solve the problem but the issue is still prevalent in football today.
In 2012 there were 261 concussions in the NFL. Then in 2014, concussions in regular season games rose 58 percent according to ESPN. Football is one of the most popular sports in the world and is beloved by almost everybody. But a huge problem in today’s society is concussions. Football is the world leader in concussions per year. Some solutions to solving this problem are new helmets, changing or making new rules, and better educating the players to prevent them from getting concussions.
The NFL has put in new rules in place that keep the ball handler safe from hits to the head. The NFL has put a new rule in that if you hit a player in the crown of the head you will be penalized 15 yards. This rule is supposed to decrease the amount of hits to head players receive. Another rule put in is you can not hit a defenseless player because they have no idea they are about to receive a big hit. Even with these new rules concussion rates are still going up. In 2009 the NFL put in a new rule that would have players checked on the sidelines to tell whether they could go back
Head injuries, including concussions, particularly in the game of American football, have become a subject of deep concern, much study and even Congressional hearings in the United States.
There are numerous factors conducting this high number. First off, medical staff is diagnosing concussions more frequently compared to ten years ago. Allegedly because of the increased awareness of the long term outcomes of head injuries. Second, players in the National Football League (NFL) along with college are tackling the same way they’ve tackled for years; this involves two helmets colliding followed by two players being further exposed to injury. I foresee the number of concussions to decline substantially in the ensuing decade. For one, helmet technology continues to progress drastically. Also, players are being educated in new tackling techniques, evading collisions to the head. Additionally, penalties are being enforced for excessive contact to the cranium. Superior security and less impact of the brain are two essential components to diminishing