Concussions in Football
analytical Essay
1399 words
Not many sports are as physically demanding on the human body as football. The physical toll that football players pay is almost impossible to comprehend unless one has actually played the sport for a significant amount of time. However, until recently any connection between the hits taken by football players and their health down the road was largely ignored. A common, yet difficult injury to detect in football is a concussion, the most common traumatic brain injury (Pearce). A concussion is defined as “a brain injury that is caused by a sudden blow to the head or the body. The blow shakes the brain inside the skull, which temporarily prevents the brain from working normally” (Heiner pa.5). Reports and studies have surfaced shedding light on just how much damage is inflicted upon the brain due to crippling hits. These studies suggest that NFL athletes who received concussions suffered lasting damage to the brain, which opens the gate to a multitude of other health issues such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and clinical depression (Pearce). This is an aspect of the game that not many are aware of and it is a serous issue that needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later. There have been too many heartbreaking stories such as that of Justin Strzelcyk who heard voices and died in a crash while fleeing police or that of Andre Waters who shot himself in the head after struggles with depression (Zarda pa.1). Many current and former players are suffering in silence; this shouldn’t be the case. The National Football League needs to extend a hand to former players debilitated by head injuries. The problem of concussions and other head injuries in the NFL is one that needs to be tackled head on. To begin with, the key to solving t... ... middle of paper ... ... 2010. . Web. Swift, E.M. "One Big Headache." Sports Illustrated 12 Feb. 2007: 22. 19 Feb 2010. . Web. Zarda, Brett. "Butting Heads." Popular Science Sept. 2007: 35. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. Web.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that concussions and other head injuries in the nfl need to be tackled head on.
- Opines that the key to solving the problem of concussions in the national football league is awareness.
- Argues that the nfl has been stubborn when it comes to acknowledging any correlation between concussions suffered during pro careers and health problems down the line.
- Opines that the nfl needs to do more research on the link between concussions suffered by football players and multiple health issues.
- Opines that concussions and head injuries in the national football league are a serious and little known problem that needs more attention.
- Analyzes gregory, sean, "the problem with football." time. 175.5 8 feb. 2010: 36. general reference center. gale.
- Analyzes the case of jani v. bert bell/pete rozelle nfl player ret, plan and a legal analysis of the nfl's 2007 concussion management guidelines.
- Explains pearce, j.m.s., "observations on concussion." european neurology 59.3-4 (2008): 113-19.
- Analyzes swift's "one big headache." sports illustrated 12 feb. 2007: 22. 19 feb 2010.
- Explains zarda, brett, "butting heads." popular science sept. 2007: 35. academic onefile.
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- opinion
- Concussions in the NFLexplanatory essayFrom 2010 to 2012, the concussion rate in the National Football League (NFL) has increased 21 percent each year (“Concussions”). Concussions have become a deep concern in the United States, particularly in the NFL. A concussion is when the brain is rapidly accelerating or being rapidly spun inside of the skull. Brain cells are released at a fast rate into the nerve cells, which stimulate them. The brain cannot handle this all at one time which can cause memory and hearing loss. Something this dramatic can also cause blurred vision, confusion, nausea, and in severe cases, unconsciousness. Drama arises in the NFL because of the intense physical contact involved in the sport. Despite many things that have been done so far, there is a lot more to be done before the concussion rate comes down. Doing simple things such as adjusting the way helmets are designed, altering the rules of the game, and placing concussion monitors along the sidelines of games can help a great deal.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the concussion rate in the national football league (nfl) has increased 21 percent each year.
- Explains that the first step to prevent concussions is altering the design of the helmet's interior. a polymer piece can be inserted into a helmet to increase the impact absorption rate.
- Explains how the nfl can prevent concussions by altering some rules, such as moving the kickoffs up five yards to decrease the number of kick returns.
- Explains that concussion monitors are simple to implement into games in the nfl and would help to drastically reduce the rate.
- Opines that the nfl can reduce the rate of concussions by inserting a piece of polymer inside of helmets or changing the rules of the game to prevent injury.
- Cites dekosky, steven t., milos d. ikonomovic, and sam gandy. "traumatic brain injury — football, warfare and long-term effects."
- Opines that scientificists doubtful of anti-concussion helmet claims, rules may be best method of preventing injuries.
648 wordsRead More - Concussions in the NFLanalytical essayMany memories are made in football, but sadly some of the greatest players cannot recall them. The National Football League has been associated with concussions and brain traumas throughout the years, but lately it has been exposed by media and NFL veterans. The league recently “reached a $765 million preliminary settlement with thousands of former players who were suing the league over its treatment of concussions…” (Waldron). Many former players are experiencing the effects of taking hard hits over and over again; they were not properly treated, which makes the injury worse and long term. The concussion issue in the NFL is more prevalent today, because it affects not only the players, but the league as a whole.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the national football league has been associated with concussions and brain traumas throughout the years, but recently it was exposed by media and nfl veterans. many former players are experiencing the effects of taking hard hits over and over again.
- Analyzes how the nfl started a committee called the mtbi (mild traumatic brain injury) in 1994. dr. elliot pellman's quote shows how concussions didn't hold much importance, even though it should have been the committee’s main focus.
- Narrates how mike webster, a former pittsburgh steeler, brought awareness to brain traumas by claiming to be disabled with the nfl retirement board and having dementia.
- Explains that dr. omalu diagnosed a football player with cte, and two other doctors connected concussions to dementia.
- Explains that the mtbi was still making concussions sound minor, and not a big problem.
- Describes how david duerson, a 50-year-old former chicago bears player, committed suicide to donate his brain to further research.
- Explains that duerson is not the only player dealing with effects of brain trauma during a professional football career. over 240 complaints have been filed against the nfl and how they deal with concussions.
- Explains that the nfl ignored mounting evidence about damage from concussions and tried to dispute emerging science with questionable research of its own.
- Explains that the league finally strengthened their approach to concussions. medical professionals on the sideline now are more prone to look for symptoms.
- Explains that concussions can be fatal if they occur before the brain heals properly. many nfl players are giant and feel untouchable, but they need to be as aware as everyone else.
- Opines that the first few days after a concussion, an athlete needs to be very careful with what they allow themselves to do.
- Explains that concussion prevention techniques can be used especially in football. helmets are the protective gear to help with prevention.
- Explains that football is a very physical game and the chance of preventing any injury is very limited. all doctors agree that helmets will never completely prevent the brain.
- Describes the recent rule changes that were an effect of the settlement, including hitting with the crown, the snapper can never be hit, and late hits.
- Argues that officials should be responsible for removing players suspected of concussions. they argue that if officials are trusted with this power, they should also be able to remove players who are bleeding.
- Opines that the issue of concussions spreads beyond the players alone. many rules and procedures have been manipulated to fit new research on brain traumas.
- Explains that the nfl announces rule changes. the nfl concussion litigation rss.
- Analyzes mcclement, john, mihoces, gary, pennington, bill, smith, stephanie, and smith.
1768 wordsRead More - Concussions in Sportsexplanatory essayJunior Seau was one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL during his 20 playing years, amassing over 1,500 tackles, and delivering an insurmountable number of hits. In 2011, shortly after retiring, he abruptly committed suicide by shooting himself. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a study on Seau’s brain and diagnosed him with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma (Pilon and Belson). Seau is among countless other former players whose careers’ of playing football changed their lives forever. Former quarterback Terry Bradshaw told USA Today about how poor his mental health has become. He says, “I couldn’t focus and remember things, and I was dealing with depression” (Breslow, “NFL Concussions: The 2013-14 Season in Review”). Seau’s death and Bradshaw’s decline link to a growing epidemic in today’s sports: concussions. Recently, concussions increased in contact sports, specifically football (Breslow, “What We’ve Learned from Two Years of Tracking Concussions”). This increase, along with better awareness and pressure from lawsuits and the media, led to research for better concussion diagnostic technology and rule changes in football. Concussions and the effects associated with them forced football to evolve, for the better.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that junior seau was one of the best middle linebackers in the nfl during his 20 playing years. his death and bradshaw's decline link to a growing epidemic in today’s sports: concussions
- Explains that concussions are traumatic brain injuries caused by a force to the head or direct force on the face, neck or chest. the nfl and the world of sports paid attention to this alarming trend.
- Explains that media and the lawsuit by former nfl players put even more pressure on the nfl to act on concussion epidemic. former players, a congressional committee, and even president obama are active in speaking out against the league.
- Explains that these factors led to several rule changes in the nfl aimed to limit head injuries and helmet-to-helmet contact in football, along with research in new technology in helmets and the science behind concussions.
- Explains that sports leagues, athletes talk concussions with dc lawmakers, and belson, ken.
- Explains breslow, jason m., "nfl concussions: the 2013-14 season in review." wgbh educational foundation.
- Explains what they've learned from two years of tracking nfl concussions.
- Explains the comprehensive concussion center at jefferson university hospitals.
- Explains dekosky, steven t., milos d. ikonomovic, and sam gandy, "traumatic brain injury- football, warfare and long-term effects."
- Describes trends in concussion indence in high school sports in the american journal of sports medicine.
- Explains that "new nfl rules designed to limit head injuries." the national football league.
- States pilon, mary, and ken belson, "junior seau's death classified as a suicide."
845 wordsRead More - The Concussion Problem in Professional and Amateur Footballexplanatory essayThesis Statement 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 this essay, the author
- Explains that the number of concussions in professional and amateur football has been rising and has sparked much controversy in recent years.
- Explains the definition of a concussion in the nfl and how it affects professional athletes as well as amateur or youth football players.
- Explains that chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or cte, is a degenerative disease of the brain linked to symptoms of dementia and depression.
- Opines that the nfl and many private researchers are set on finding a way to conquer this issue. they want to stop these concussions from happening and prevent the diseases resulting from them.
- Explains that many private companies and researchers have taken the issue of concussions head on.
- Explains that the nfl has increased research on concussions throughout the 21st century.
- Explains that the nfl has long denied that concussions have any long-term effects. they argued that mtbi was a sham committee that "glorified the violence of the game."
2124 wordsRead More - Should Children Play Tackle Football?explanatory essayFootball is America’s favorite sport. It is a fast-paced, hard-hitting game. Every week thousands of men and boys all across the country take part in football and every week these men and boys receive violent hits during the game. Frequently, as a result of these violent hits, the player receives a concussion. However, the long-term effects of concussions on players are not fully understood. New research shows that even a slight concussion in a football game can have lasting effects on a player. As a result of this research, children under the age of fourteen should not play tackle football.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that football is america's favorite sport. it is fast-paced and hard-hitting. the long-term effects of concussions on players are not fully understood.
- Explains that football has been considered a manly sport since its inception. however, it's dangerous, and the number of football-related injuries increased 27 percent during the 18-year study period.
- Explains that concussions occur regularly on the football field and have always been an injury associated with football.
- Explains that most of the deaths attributed to concussions from playing football are older boys and men. however, david sumner, a ten-year-old from simi valley, california, died from head injuries sustained while playing.
- Explains that dr. robert cantu, the director of boston university's center for the study of traumatic encephalopathy, has been a leader in this research.
- Explains how dr. cantu describes two types of acceleration that create a concussion to the brain: linear acceleration and rotational acceleration.
- Explains how the nfl began to acknowledge the effects of repeated concussions in professional players. commissioner roger goodell introduced a stricter policy to protect the health and safety of nfl players and set the best possible example.
- Explains that while the long-term effects of concussions on adults are documented, there is less research available on the effects on a child.
- Explains that a concussion can cause chemical changes in the brain, causing fatigue, memory loss, lack of concentration, and an inability to stay focused.
- Explains that a study conducted by virginia tech and wake forest universities proved that children playing football receives hits to the head equal to professional athletes.
- Explains that a child's body isn't fully developed, and that the brain damage caused by concussions is more severe. rotational forces are greater for children, proportional to the severity of the hit.
- Explains second impact syndrome, which occurs when a child receives another concussion, before an older one heals. the majority of victims of second impact syndrome are under the age of eighteen, all of them male.
- Explains that second impact syndrome is a rare but usually fatal condition. carrol, linda, and david rosner. the concussion crisis: anatomy of the silent epidemic.
- Explains that daniel, ray w., steven rowson, and stefan m. duma. “head impact exposure in youth football.” annals of biomedical engineering.
- Explains that newton’s football: the science behind americas game. ballantine books, 2013.
- Analyzes how mihoces, gary, and nation, a. d., et al. weighed the risks of youth football in the context of a concussion debate.
- Analyzes yates, keith, et al., longitudinal trajectories of postconcussive symptoms in children with mild traumatic brain injuries and their relation to acute clinical status. pediatrics.
1412 wordsRead More - Concussions in Footballanalytical essayEven though football players are aware of the dangers the game can bring upon them, they take part despite it. The passion, the joy it creates; for professionals it’s also the devoted fans and compensation they receive is what keeps the players motivated. Today players are much bigger, faster, smarter, bigger, better. The game is more physical. The sport has never been so competitive. The popularity has reached new peaks, as much that the NFL has thoughts of moving a team to London, England. Additionally, Super Bowl XLVII (47) was one of the most watched television events of all time; an astonishing 108.4 million viewers (The Associated Press). Fans worship their teams and love to see big hits. Football is a contact sport; injuries are no doubtingly part of it. Concussions are one of the many detriments caused by the ruthlessness, but one of the few with perpetual effects: consequence of the brutality.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that cte is a brain disease found in individuals with annals of head trauma. it can cause memory loss, dementia, depression, suicidal thoughts, cognitive and emotional difficulties.
- Analyzes how the nfl and 4500 former players accused the league of concealing information about concussions from them and settled for a whopping 765 million dollar agreement.
- Opines that mike webster's autopsy was one of the most significant moments in the history of sports.
- Analyzes how dorsett, others shows signs of cte/outside the lines by william weinbaum and steve delsohn.
- Explains that football players are aware of the dangers the game can bring upon them, but they take part despite it. a concussion is a hard blow or collision; it is more likely to occur than in other sports.
- Explains that mike webster played in the nfl for 17 years and claimed that football gave him dementia, memory loss, anger, and depression.
1133 wordsRead More - Concussions In Footballexplanatory essayFootball is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is played in a lot of different ways, fashions, and other countries. It can be a very brutal sport with players hitting at the intent to hurt one another. With these intents come great consequences. In recent years the head injuries involved with this brutal game play have been getting uncomfortably high. Many rules have had to be enforced for player safety, because of the increase of head injuries resulting in tragic effects on players both old and new. One of the injuries that have had the most devastating effects is the concussion.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that football is behind hockey with every eight per ten thousand players receiving a concussion, whereas hockey was behind.
- Explains that riddel's new "revolution" helmet is designed to reduce concussions, based on a new look at what hits actually cause them, not the blows to the top or front.
- Opines that riddeltm has stepped up to the plate to protect the players, not just for the sake of entertainment, but to keep them safe and healthy so the years they get the opportunity to play.
- Explains that football is one of the most popular sports in the world, with players hitting at the intent to hurt one another. concussions are an injury that falls under the traumatic brain injury category.
- Explains that concussions aren't traceable in football, just as they are not in many other sports. prevention is possible, but the only prevention method is not to play.
- Explains barton, lindsay, "concussion statistics in high school sports | momsteam."
- Explains the incidence of concussion in high school football players of ohio and pennsylvania.
1397 wordsRead More - Head injuries in the National Football Leagueopinion essayIn recent stories local retired NFL player Junior Seau suffered many head injuries while playing in the NFL. Well known and loved in all surrounding San Diego communities had committed suicide in 2012. Coming upon the 2 year anniversary of his passing people still wonder what exactly did it to him. The problems of head injuries in the NFL is they are always occurring. In 2010 over 154 head injuries happened in practices and or games, but in 2007 the NFL had released a pamphlet to the players about head injuries. since then the NFL has taken many different safety precautions to fix the recurring problem. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy also known as CTE had been discovered in a deceased football player. Other ex-NFL players who played who had sustained head injuries from repetitive have issue still with them for the rest of their lives. Such as depression, dementia, Mental Illness, and possibly death or paralysis. there really isn’t ways eliminate head injuries unless their is a no contact rule in the NFL or the NFL gets abolished. even with the advances in technology and equipment getting better it still will happen. But some players don't only suffer the injuries from the NFL but from playing pop-warner, high school, college, the progressing to the NFL. Not only are the athletes involved but the families. Because the families are going to be the ones to deal with the injuries of the victim.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that head injuries in the national football league are always occurring. the nfl has taken many safety precautions to fix the recurring problem.
- Explains that the nfl has had several class action lawsuits against them. ex-nfl players who sustained head injuries say it wasn't worth playing.
- Opines that the post-injury life is hard for the players and the family, especially if the nfl isn't doing enough for them.
- Opines that the nfl isn't doing all they could to help fix the reoccurrences of traumatic head injuries. they could up the spending on the medical field and make better post-nfl insurance policies.
- Opines that the nfl doesn't do enough preventative care to ensure the players have the best insurance to help them out more in the long run.
- Explains that helmet companies like riddell are advancing majorly and helping the player safety. the nfl is implementing new rule changes that try to limit the head to head contact while playing.
- Explains that the advancements with the nfl and the equipment companies they use are really improving.
- Opines that the nfl has implemented a lot of new rule changes that have tremendously helped with player safety.
- Opines that the nfl try's and does the most they can. head injuries are a way of life and players should know what they are getting themselves into.
893 wordsRead More - Essay On Football Concussionsanalytical essayIn August of 2013, the National Football League announced they were paying $765 million to settle a lawsuit involving thousands of its former players over problems related to head trauma (Richardson). This is just one sign of the growing concern that the sport’s collisions pose a serious risk to long-term player health. There is little known about how a full season of head hits affects the largest group of football athletes: the nearly four million youth and high school student players.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that tackle football should be banned for kids under the age of fifteen because concussion injuries are on the rise among the youth.
- Explains that the national football league paid $765 million to settle a lawsuit involving thousands of its former players over problems related to head trauma.
- Explains that the centers for disease control and prevention treats 135,000 children ages five to eighteen for sports-related brain injuries. the long-term effects on children who suffer repeated concussions, even mild ones, are still not known.
- Explains that around one million americans play high school football and more than three times that many play in youth leagues. high school and youth players depend on coaches and parents to watch for problems.
- Explains that dr. robert cantu proposes barring tackle football before age fourteen, or the start of high school, in his new book, concussions and our kids.
- Explains that youngster's brains are not fully myelinated, meaning their nerve cells lack the complete coating that offers protection, making them more susceptible to concussions and recovering slower than adults.
- Opines that usa football's "heads up" program and pop warner’s limits on head contact and hitting in practice reinforce the notion that football can always be played with the head up.
- Explains that usa football has trained almost 100,000 coaches in the last five years and has looked at the concept of a national accreditation program with fifteen chapters and fifteen quizzes.
- Explains that the nfl coaches don't embrace change very well. pop warner, usa football can implement all the things that they want to, but until the football community embraces the reality of the sport.
- Argues that the science doesn't exist to justify banning youth football at any age level. scott hallenbeck cited the lack of evidence-based data, while dr. cantu and others agreed that more research is needed.
- Explains that flag football teaches the proper entry point for contact, around the hips, to prepare kids for full contact when their bodies are ready.
- Opines that five and six-year-olds will keep padding up and hitting is consumer demand. pop warner's executive director john butler estimates that 90 to 95 percent of its members would drop out and play for independent teams.
- Analyzes eddie mason's comment that sometimes parents have to take the decisions out of their hands and make the change.
1110 wordsRead More - The Dangers of Playing American Footballopinion essayFrom long practice hours, hot summer workouts, and many Friday nights, my personal observation of this dangerous sport is exceptionally prevalent. My initial experience of the damage that football brings came my eighth grade year when I witnessed a senior football player on my team try and eat a phone on the ride home after receiving a concussion in the third quarter of the game. Which is a prime example to defend the fact that football related injuries to the head result in people not “being all there.” Not only have I seen someone try and eat a phone, but I have also witnessed head injuries resulting in my own friend randomly yelling at me after a game for no reason, and also a friend trying to jump down a full flight of stairs thinking he was starring in a movie. The fast paced, high intensity contact that comes with playing football is nothing to think flippantly of when it plays a role on brain trauma, and the results of brain trauma.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the positive externalities of football, as well as any other contact sport, can be dangerous and potentially threatening to a persons overall health and future.
- Explains that they witnessed a senior football player try and eat the phone on the ride home after receiving concussion in the third quarter of the game. the fast-paced, high-intensity contact that comes with playing football is nothing to think flippantly of.
- Explains the problems and injuries that come with playing football are still being discovered and researched in hopes of finding solutions so that the sport is not so dangerous. malcolm gladwell, an english-canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker, wrote about it.
- Analyzes gladwell's play, which provided detail and evidence of the dangers of football. turley knew about many players who had serious brain/head related problems which led to all three taking suicidal action.
- Explains that they played football for seven years, and gained enough personal proof to know the serious dangers of the sport.
- Opines that football is an amazing sport that is loved all over the world and has positive impacts for many years. the problem comes when football causes major injuries, brain trauma, and even death.
- Opines that football is a worldwide fad, but when will people realize that the lasting effects it leaves on people are dangerous?
709 wordsRead More