Concussions Today in competitive sport more and more people are playing them. A lot of concussions come from the sport of football. Competitive football ranges from younger kids in elementary school to grown adults playing in the NFL, CFL, and AFL. The programs they have for children are to develop and teach the kids the rules of football. Concussions are in every age level in football. Everyone thinks the main causes of the recent incline of concussions in football today are because players are hitting too hard, yes and no. A concussion can become more severe if it isn’t noticed during the play it happened.
It can become worse if the player isn’t tested for it and taken out of the game. Another thing that can cause concussions is when a defensive player launches his whole body towards the head of the offensive player with the ball and hit helmet to helmet. The force behind your body and the hit make a concussion at high percentage chance to occur. A hard hit can be made safe if you hit low, don’t launch your body, and wrap up the ball handler and drive your feet. Also, one more way to get a concussion is switching with someone on the field and not having your chin strap snapped on and getting hit or making the hit.
That is not just dangerous but against the rules. It is said that you need at least a week to recover from a concussion. Concussions have been linked to clinical depression. There have been articles and news stories on ESPN about players continually playing with concussions and not having any time in-between them. Some of those players have been reported with depression, some have commited suicide, and some being completely brain dead. There are some reports of players being brain dead 10 years after they retire and not having the proper healing.
One of the more famous dealings with concussions and depression is Junior Seau. Seau committed suicide on May 2, 2012; this is important because it brought attention back to Dave Duerson who committed suicide in 2011. Duerson knew he had brain problems when he committed suicide. He sent a text to his family asking his brain be used for research. Concussions can leave a player with many brain problems, sleeping problems, and all sorts of stuff. There are signs and symptoms you can look for. The easy and obvious are headaches, confusion, and disorientation.
Symptoms that cannot be seen until a day or two after are sleep disturbances, disorders to taste and smell, and sensitivity to light and noise. Make sure to see a doctor within the first day or two. Do not return to play until you have been cleared by a doctor. The NFL, NCAA, and HSAA are making the game safer for player to play. New rules on where the player can hit the ball handler. They all are taking concussions very serious now. There are many companies working on making the equipment safer as well. So they keep trying to find ways to improve safety.
