Dr. James P. Kelly reports; “Multiple
Concussions are the big concern in football, compared to war-related head
trauma, which usually involves one battlefield blast and the impact of the head
against a wall, the ground or other hard surface.” Concussions in high school
football cause major problems for the players. I believe that football is
helping teens with the relief of stress, having fun, and relaxing, but it is
also hurting teens physically and mentally, so it should not be taken away, but
made less violent.
Football
is hurting teens mostly through concussions. David Epstein explains “The minor
hits cause the brain to go back and forth against the skull.” This shows that
minor hits are just as bad as major hits. If a player receives many minor hits
it will eventually add up to worse than just one major hit. The article
“Concussions among United States High School…” explains the statistics for
symptoms of having a concussion; “Headaches 40%, dizziness 15%, confusion 8%,
loss of consciousness 3%, and amnesia 6%.” Headaches are the number one most
symptoms in concussions and my brother experienced a three day long headache
along with his concussion. This
statistic allows people to become aware of how to spot a concussion before it
is too late.
The problem with high school football is the concussions.
“Based on the national estimate, the majority of concussions resulted from
participation in football 40.5%.” (Concussions among United States…)
Concussions can lead to death, memory loss, and may lead to symptoms that last
3 days or longer. According to the article “The Damage Done” minor hits are
just as traumatic and there can be hundreds of them each game.” Football is
hurting teens physically by putting them through concussions. The risk of a
concussion is rising within each season. Researchers have figured that hits of
80 times the force of gravity will cause a concussion. (The Damage Done.) Can
you even imagine what that hit could do to your brain?
It is estimated that 67,000 concussions are diagnosed
each year in high school football (Foxnews.com). Some players do not report their concussion
because they believe they can handle it. Another reason is that they are not
aware of the concussion. Sometimes the player does not report it because they
do not want to be taken out of the game. A solution to concussions would be to
make people more aware of it. Let them know the symptoms, and what the
concussion could lead to. Without the proper knowledge of a concussion the
risks increase of further injury. The concussion could lead to death, or
mentally affect the player. The impact the concussion can have on a player can
affect the rest of their lives, and/or their football career.
Sydney Lupkin reported a case of a high school football
player in 2006 that was diagnosed with Second-Impact-Syndrome. Second-
Impact-Syndrome is when the brain swells very fast after a victim suffers from
a concussion. Cody went to the doctor after the hit in his shoulder, but his CT
scan registered that he was okay. He made the decision to keep playing even
though his body was telling him differently. “It's probably something to do
with the immature brain, because our brain really keeps growing until you're
18, 19 years old" (Turner). Dr. Turner is saying that
Second-Impact-Syndrome is rare in older football players and more common in
younger players because the brain is still maturing. Cody’s brain was sending
signals to his body to receive more blood to the brain. This was causing his
brain to swell against his skull. When he left the hospital 98 days later he
had suffered through pneumonia, renal failure and sepsis, and temporary cardiac
arrest. He faced the problem of not being able to walk or talk. He was not able
to be involved in any activities as he was in the rehabilitation section of the
hospital.
Cody was aware that his body did not feel good enough to
play, but he went with what the doctors told him. Isn’t that what we would all
do? His mom states “sometimes we have to listen to what our bodies are telling
us.” That is well said and exactly what we should do. The doctors went with
what the CT scan was telling them. The scan was telling them that nothing was
wrong, but in fact there was something very wrong. This is one story of many
victims that have suffered from side effects of concussions. If they would have been more aware of what
could have happened it might have saved Cody from what he went through. In this
situation football hurt Cody mentally and physically, and he might have to deal
with it for the rest of his life.
Football gives the players a chance to blow off steam
from a hard day at school, work, or home. Playing the game gives the boys
something to look forward too, and get excited about. Some players live,
breath, and sleep football. It is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be if
they receive injuries repeatedly. Football is fun for the boys and helps them
in their social lives. They get physically fit, and give them a motivation to
keep their grades up. It teaches them responsibility by having them to show up
on time to practices and games. They have to show teamwork and work well
together with their teams to win the game. Football is a sport that teaches
discipline and respect toward their coaches and teammates.
Football has its good side and its bad side. The sport
can help a player grow in ways you will never expect. On the downside it can
lead a player into harm’s way for the rest of his life. Football should not be
changed, but should allow everyone to be aware of the risks. We take risks
every day, and I believe if the boys love the sport with all they have they
should be allowed to play. One thing we can do if we cannot stop football is we
can make people aware of concussions. Allow people to know what the symptoms
are of concussions, and how it can affect you in the long run.
