Contact Sports
When I first started playing football, a headache was called a 'headache.' And now it's called 'a concussion - Junior Seau
image by: Vlad Dediu
HWN Suggests
The Complex Calculus Of Health Risk In Sports
On a humid 1969 September night in Texas, a little boy sat in the stands of a high school football game, happily supporting his hometown team. As he watched, the opposition's running back broke free, and a defensive back ran up to make the tackle. The cacophony of cheerleader, band and student section background noise was brought to an abrupt halt by an incredibly loud noise from the field--“CRACK!”
Fast forward ten years. The same boy is now playing on a Division I NCAA football team, blocking a defender in front of him at practice as his quarterback pitches the ball to a running back. In his peripheral vision he glimpses a defender approaching at full speed, and then, an incredibly…
Featured
Cost of Contact in Sports Is Estimated at Over 600,000 Injuries a Year
It seems obvious that there would be more injuries, and more serious ones, among high school and college athletes in football or soccer or lacrosse than, say, in running or tennis. But, how many more, and at what economic cost?
Articles of Interest
Perceptions of Danger in Popular Contact Sports
We surveyed 835 people about which popular contact sports they thought were the most dangerous, how old their children needed to be to play, and how acceptable head-to-head contact was at various ages.
CTE: The Hidden Risk of Playing Contact Sports
. When playing sports, we focus on competition rather than the impact of repetitive injuries. Physical sports, like football, hockey, and boxing, have all been associated with CTE.
Handling the Rough Game: The Slow Evolution of Sports Medicine
Development of arthroscopy and recognition of the long-term consequences of concussions have morphed sports medicine into a specialty.
Hits to the Head May Result in Immediate Brain Damage
When a teenager is hit in the head, his brain can begin to show signs, within days, of the kind of damage associated with degenerative brain disease, according to an unsettling new study of young men and head injuries. The findings, which also involve tests with animals, indicate that this damage can occur even if the hit does not result in a full-blown concussion.
How Students' Brains Are in Danger on the Field
Recent research makes clear the drastic effects of head injuries on young athletes, and advocates are asking states and schools to do more.
Just One Season Of Contact Sports Can Hurt A Young Athlete’s Brain
Despite the common sense logic that discourages young athletes from smacking their heads together, the medical community continues to confuse the issue with conflicting research reports. Two recent studies report that measurable changes occur in the brains of young football players after just one year on the field while another paper concluded that there were no significant changes in long-term cognitive function for youth players with years of experience, including those that had suffered concussions.
No link found between youth contact sports and cognitive, mental health problems
Adolescents who play contact sports, including football, are no more likely to experience cognitive impairment, depression or suicidal thoughts in early adulthood than their peers...
The Reasons Not To Ban Contact Sports For Children: An Answer To 'Concussion'
We all want our children to be healthy and enjoy activities--including sports--that lead to fulfillment and improve their happiness. Playing team sports is an important part of the process of socialization and learning how to work together to achieve a goal, not to mention a way to stay fit and healthy. The current concern about the danger of participating in contact sports--specifically the risk for developing CTE--is now part of our national conversation.
Resources
Ten Questions to Ask Youth Sports Organizations
In whatever sport a child chooses, to feel more comfortable and confident with their participation as it relates to concussion risk, parents must do their homework and ask questions of the league and coaches about how they handle head safety. A parent needs to feel at ease that the safety is a priority.
Contact Sports Foundation
CSF is... a non profit foundation whose mission is to support efforts which protect the general well being of athletes in contact sports, with special emphasis on their health & safety and financial well being. The foundation also supports efforts which promote and market combative sports nationally and internationally.
Korey Stringer Institute
The mission of the Korey Stringer Institute is to provide first-rate information, resources, assistance, and advocacy for the promotion of prevention of sudden death in sport via health and safety initiatives.
STOP Sports Injuries
The comprehensive public outreach program focuses on the importance of sports safety-specifically relating to overuse and trauma injuries. The initiative not only raises awareness and provides education on injury reduction, but also highlights how playing safe and smart can enhance and extend a child's athletic career, improve teamwork, reduce obesity rates and create a lifelong love of exercise and healthy activity.
