When you watch football and see a player get hit, chances are, you do not think much about it. Getting hit repeatedly over the course of one’s career can sometimes have significant effects. Research shows that concussions and other head injuries are becoming common in the NFL and can lead to serious issues down the road (Resnick, 2018). When thinking about this, it is important to understand what a concussion is, the frequency of such injuries in this organization and what the NFL is doing to alleviate them, as well as the impact this has on football players.
Concussions are brain injuries that are caused by impacts to the head. These types of brain injuries can result in concussions and range in severity as well as types of symptoms present. Common symptoms can include headaches, loss of consciousness, feeling of confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and slurred speech, to name a few (Mayo Clinic, 2017).
In many sports, especially football, concussions happen all the time and can have long-term effects. Possible long-term problems include headaches, vertigo, and a gradual decline in the brain’s ability to function (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Over the years the amount of concussions in the NFL has varied and in the last few years, the organization has begun to take steps to reduce the number of such injuries. According to NFL Injury Data from 2017, there were 291 concussions last season. This data also shows that “there was a 13.5 percent increase in diagnosed concussions from 2016 to 2017 during the preseason and regular season” (Resnick, 2018).
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As one can see, the frequency of these injuries is steadily rising in the league. So what is the NFL doing to solve this issue? With the prospect of getting a concussion becoming more and more common for players, there are steps being taken to make the game safer. Safety measures that have already been taken include the swift removal of any player who may have a concussion as well as a five-step procedure that a player with a concussion, must complete before they are allowed to resume playing. Elements of this procedure, include a period of rest and exercise, as well as follow up examinations with the team’s doctor as well as an outside source (Resnick, 2018).
In addition, the organization “has banned helmet-to-helmet hits, made kickoff plays slightly safer, and limited the amount of contact allowed in practices. It’s also looking into artificial playing surfaces to soften the blow of impact” (Resnick, 2018). As one can see, multiple steps have already been taken to eliminate the risk of concussions as well as other injuries. However, this risk may never truly be eliminated. As concussions continue to thrive in this sport, the long term effects on players continue, as well. Constantly taking hits to the head over time, regardless if they result in a concussion or not, can lead to significant issues later on. One of the biggest issues is chronic traumatic encephalopathy also known as CTE. As with concussions, the symptoms of CTE can vary.
A brain with CTE begins to collect tau, a protein that will group together in the brain tissue and interfere with the circulation of information. However, it is important to note that these symptoms gradually take hold after many years of constant brain injury and gets progressively worse as time goes on. Mild symptoms can include the loss of attention, headaches, and short-term memory loss (Resnick, 2018). More severe symptoms can include “executive dysfunction, language difficulties, explosively, aggressive tendencies, paranoia, depression, gait, and visuospatial difficulties” (Resnick, 2018). Because this disease can only be identified in autopsies, it cannot be determined how many living football players, have this disease. In a study, researchers looked at the autopsied brains of 200 football players and discovered that ninety percent had CTE. This study also found that of the brains belonging to former pro football players, ninety-nine percent had this disease (Resnick, 2018). Thus, showing that football players are at risk for getting CTE.
As one can see there are many risks associated with playing football. Constantly being hit can lead to some pretty serious issues later on in a player’s life. Concussions are becoming typical in the NFL and as a result there are steps being taken to reduce the risk as well as increase a player’s recovery time. These injuries can also lead to players developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition that varies in severity and symptoms. Overall, football continues to be a sport that puts players at a high risk for concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.
