When encountering a concussion many people look at it as not a huge deal saying things like “don’t worry I can still play”, “they just need a little rest and they will be fine”, “look they are walking they can still play”, and “it is not truly serious until they pass out”. I believe people have a large misunderstanding about how concussions effect peoples brain functions in both the short term and the long term. There can be many consequences when taking repeated blows to the head and because of this rules and regulations regarding concussions in sports have been a controversial topic for many years now.
As research shows a single hit to the head can cause serious damage. Take that one hit and multiply it by 10 or 20 and you can have serious brain injury, possible cognitive deficits, and long term health problems. This is what people do for the sports they play whether it be on a professional level or as a child. As a participant in the sport they may not fully be aware of the consequences of repeated concussions.
In class this week we discussed an article called “The Molecular Pathophysiology of Concussive Brain Injury”. This article not only took us through the effects of a concussion within the brain on a molecular level but also led us to discuss the rules and regulations in contact sports, the different places one can get hit, and the steps to take in treating a concussion.
Not many people think about what happens in the brain as a result of a hit to the head. Take a look at the image below and you will have an idea of what is happening in your brain when you take a blow to the head.
http://users.rowan.edu/~cateri02/Concussion.Assessment.html
One of the most concerning things about concussions these days, is how they are being treated (and/or ignored). We discussed in class how people in the NFL do have professionals to assess the players after they take a hard hit, however it can be debated that the people who are in charge of this are sending the players back out before they are ready simply because coaches want them to play, the game depends on that player, they think they will be fine if they finish out the game, it is a sport that millions of fans watch so sending the player out to finish the game won’t be a big deal, and on and on with the excuses. Regardless of the level of the sport everyone should follow the basic procedures following a concussion before getting back into the game. Yes it does vary from player to player depending on history, health, the hit, etc. but it does not change the fact that they should follow the proper protocol for the sake of their long term health. These are the procedures that are recommended after receiving a hit to the head in any sport:
http://www.irbplayerwelfare.com/?documentid=3
As you can see in the diagram, there are six levels a person should go through before returning to their sport. The key is to start off small and not make the brain injury any worse. Giving your brain time to heal itself is the best thing you can do to ensure that you will fully recover and have proper brain functioning later in life. Many professional athletes have been found to have mental illnesses, cognitive deficits, depression, anxiety, etc. as a result of playing their sport with out thinking about the consequences of injury. I think many people should be more informed about sports injuries to the brain and learn to use the proper procedures to heal after an injury and learn not to take a blow to the head lightly.
Get Your Head in the Game: Sports and Concussions
