Concussions In Hockey Essay

Concussions in Hockey: Its Effects on The Game Contact sports today, such as hockey have had serious effects on the health of athletes. Perhaps the most common injury in hockey is the concussion. Modern day equipment has increased the health and safety of athletes across all ages. Organizations such as the National Hockey League have recently taken precautions in effort to reduce the occurrence of the injury. The argument here is that numerous players and fans disagree with the recent changes that have been made to the game due to the injury. The argument represented is that leagues such as the NHL should focus more on the players causing concussions, rather than changing the game that we all love. The altercations to the sport have helped

The first argument comes from the player’s perspective. In Emily Kroshus’ article, she explains how NCAA hockey players are failing to report their injury. Players like myself, do this because they feel capable of playing the high-speed game. Not considering the consequences that come with playing with such an injury. Players across the country are unhappy with the altercations that are being placed because of injuries like concussions. These changes are resulting in the diminishing the player’s enjoyment. As a player, I am unhappy with these modifications and believe that the changes that have been made should be reconsidered and possibly returned to their original intent. The removal of the old-school bone crushing hits and enjoyable “brawls” has resulted in reducing the overall enjoyment of the sport not only from player’s perspective, but the fee-paying public. Alternatively, the changes that have been made to these sports has been popular among parents as well as

It is no question that the number one priority is to keep athletes of all ages as safe as possible. However, numerous players and fans feel as if organizations should focus their attention on players causing concussions. If the NHL were to discipline players such as Matt Niskanen with large fines and potential suspensions, we would see a decrease in the injury. The game of hockey can stay a high contact game as long as players know how to properly perform a legal hit. The three perspectives on the issue of the concussion has caused for changes to the game of hockey. Although these changes have not been ultimately supported by the players and fans, the number one priority has become the safety of the athletes.

References:
Saffary, Roya, Lawrence S. Chin, and Robert C. Cantu. “Sports Medicine: Concussions in Sports.” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, vol. 6, no. 2, 2012
Wandlind, Michael W. and Oscar Guillamondegui. “Eliminating the Confusion Surrounding Concussions in Sports”. JAMA vol. 314 no. 13, 2015. 4 Mar 2017
Benson, Brian W. “A Prospective Study of Concussions among National Hockey League Players during Regular Season Games: The NHL-NHLPA Concussion Program” vol. 183 2011, Mar 4. 2017
Kroshus, Emily, “Norms, Athletic Identity, and Concussion Symptom Under Reporting among Male Collegiate Ice Hockey Players: A Prospective Cohort Study.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 49,