Featured Story: The Consequences of Concussions
The following article was written by the Everyday Med Team.
Sports such as football and hockey are growing in popularity among children and adolescents. While enjoyable, there is a growing issue amongst the athletic community: these sports often lead to concussions. Concussions cause neurological and psychological damage; therefore many people believe football and hockey should be more regulated but not everyone agrees.
Concussions cause neurological damage. There is science behind the mechanisms of a concussion and why athletes experience pain and headaches. In the brain billions of neurons connect with axons, frail nerve fibers that connect and communicate with neurons. However, when a concussion occurs, the brain rattles around the skull, bumping and bruising the brain. A concussion frays the axons, making them release toxins and causing other axons to die. When a concussion occurs, nerves in the brain die and decompose, leading to the death of more nerves. A small contact or bump will result in the death of many nerves. “This process of axons dying results in dizziness or headaches, (and) difficulty concentrating” (Robins, 2017). The wear and tear of axons makes it slower for neurons to relay signals and communicate, thus leading to the headaches and lack of concentration. Evidently, the neurological damage is significant. Concussions also cause psychological problems when adolescents play sports such as football and hockey.
Concussions also cause psychological problems when adolescents play football and hockey. Research shows that concussions cause behavioral problems, strain on the development of the brain, and poor memory. Boston University of CTE shows “participation in youth football before age 12 increased the risk of problems with behavioral regulation” (University of Boston School of Medicine, 1967). Playing football at a young age may mean a higher risk of developing behavioral problems and including developing emotional incompetence. Behavioral problems are classified as disorders such as depression, ADHD, anxiety, and autism. Those who develop a behavioral problem will lack emotional intelligence and adequate communication skills. “Researchers chose the cut off of age 12 because the brain undergoes a key period of development and maturation between the years 10–12 in males” (University of Boston School of Medicine, 1967). As researchers show that children at the age of 12 are still maturing and learning they cut the age range at 12 as children at the age of mind are still maturing and learning in their prime time, which will show in the future. However, concussions prevent children from growing at their prime time, which will show in the future. Their retention at a developmental stage causes them to miss out on focusing and learning. Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center studied 214 former college football players. Ranging from some starting playing from high school and some only playing in college. “Tackle football prior to age 12 had worse memory and mental flexibility, as well as structural brain changes on MRI scans” (Rodrigo, 2020). The structure of the brain is changed, indicating a difference from normal brain functions, thus leading to poorer memory.
Many individuals believe that enough is enough: stronger regulations must be implemented. In 2013 a group of ex-NHLers filed a lawsuit against the NHL, “claiming the league failed to protect its players from head injuries and didn’t properly warn them of the game’s health risks” (Matiz, 2020) These players were uneducated of the risks and results, in addition to supplying them with adequate when playing hockey, leading to a lawsuit against the NHL. Ex-NHL players are not the only ones subjected to these unhealthy conditions. A stay at home mother with the twitter handle, ConcernedMom9, the child was signed up for a football program in school and went to one of her son’s practices where she heard “a skull-splitting crack” from her son (Chen, 2020). Her son’s coach told him to get up and keep on practicing. However, when she got home, she noticed that her son experienced the usual symptoms and exhibited a poorer memory and retention at school. Amy, like many concerned parents, are against the violence and physicality of football and hockey.
However, not everyone agrees with the studies and research found, as many people want the issue to be left alone. The owner of the Cincinnati Bengals NFL team, Mike Brown, says “it’s not only not proven; it’s merely speculation that this is something that creates some form of dementia late in life. Our statistics — the ones I’ve seen anyway — don’t show that” (FoxSports, 2020). Brown claims that there is no concrete evidence linking concussions and psychological illnesses such as dementia. Between 2019 and 2020, the Cincinnati Bengals recorded six injuries, three in 2019 and three in 2020. An NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who on several occasions has denied a link between hockey concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease known as CTE, remains much like Brown. Both dispute the scientific research and are reluctant to implement rules.
Many people believe that rules and regulations should be implemented to prevent concussions, which are detrimental to the neurological system and psychological being; however, not everyone agrees. Whereas researchers and physicians have been pressing for NFL and NHL leaders to implement stringent rules to prevent the growing cases of concussions, there has been pushback by the leaders. Rules such as banning children up to the age of 12 from participating do not have unanimous support. Restricting concussions is hard, as equipment and plays will remain controversial in the world of sports, and we are a long way from unanimity.
References
Chen, Ingfei. “Exactly How Dangerous Is Football?” The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2020, www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/exactly-how-dangerous-is-football.
FoxSports. “What NFL Owners Have Said about CTE.” FOX Sports, 2016, www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/what-nfl-owners-have-said-about-cte.
Matisz, John. “Concussions Dominated the 2010s, but the NHL Is Still Fighting Its Demons.” TheScore.com, 2020, www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1912324.
McGrath, Ben. “Does Football Have a Future?” The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2011, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/01/31/does-football-have-a-future.
Robbins, Clifford, director. What Happens When You Have a Concussion? Ted-Ed, 27 July 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvjK-4NXRsM.
Rodrigo. “Sports Concussion Statistics.” HCC- Best Anti Concussion Helmets & Devices, HCC- Best Anti Concussion Helmets & Devices, 6 Jan. 2020, headcasecompany.com/concussion_info/stats_on_concussions_sports.
University of Boston School of Medicine. “Youth Football and Later-Life Emotional, Behavioral and Cognitive Impairments.” School of Medicine Study Suggests Link between Youth Football and LaterLife Emotional Behavioral and Cognitive Impairments Comments, 1 Jan. 1967, www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/2017/09/20/study-suggests-link-between-youth-football-and-later-life-emotional-behavioral-and-cognitive-impairments-2/.
Article written by Serena To, edited by Rachel Glantzberg, graphics by Samantha Gu, group advised by Ruhi Sahu
