Assignment 16- Connor Haney

Imagine leaning back and hitting your head on the wall behind you. Imagine the feelings associated with it. Headaches, sometimes dizziness. Now double the extremities of those feelings and you contain a concussion. The dizziness and headaches worsen, and sensitivity to light, nausea, confusion, and fatigue (without the ability to rest) are added to the mix to create one of the most common injuries in athletes. Coming from a person who suffered a compound break in my radius and ulna, a broken wrist, and multiple broken fingers, my concussion was the worst pain I’ve endured. Doctors told me that I suffered from two concussions at the same time. For the first 48 hours, I sat in a dark room and physically did virtually nothing. I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t, I wasn’t allowed to look at screens. It became virtually the two most boring days I’ve ever experienced. With that being said, I’d like to introduce a quote from the person who started the extensive research over concussions recently, Dr. Bennet Omalu. Dr. Omalu says “Need is not weak. Need is need.” (League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis 2013). The need for athletes to not worry about obtaining concussions is vital to the assurance of the continuation of sports. The need for revision and reconstruction of the concussion protocol is essential in making sure that sports can still be played at all levels for the entertainment of the viewer.

It all starts with the prevention of concussions in youth sports. Contrary to popular belief, the number of student-athletes suffering from concussions has recently increased. Young athletes have experienced a 71% increase in the diagnostics of a concussion since 2010 (Youth concussions on the rise since 2010, peaking in fall 2016). Almost three-fourths more athletes since 2010 suffered a concussion. The average number of concussions between the ages of 10 and 19 has also increased since 2010. The average has increased from 8.9 to 15.2, almost doubling the concussion rate within children and adolescents (Youth concussions on the rise since 2010, peaking in fall 2016). From 2010 to 2014, the largest increases in concussion diagnosis came from the age range of 10-14 with a 143% increase, followed by an 87% increase in the 15-19 age range. Although part of these numbers come from the youth wanting to create a highlight play and playing with incorrect technique, but the majority of concussions come from a lack of safety protocols within the “political” spectrum of youth sports. The numbers of the concussion diagnosis needs to slim down drastically in the near future, or parents will eventually take their children out of sports entirely.

Next comes the prevention of concussions in collegiate and professional sports. This process, however, has already been started. With the findings of Dr. Bennet Omalu, The NFLPA and scientists around the world are currently working to find a complete stop to concussions. However, they are trying rather than succeeding. Former NFL players such as Mike Webster, Terry Long, Justin Strzelczyk, Andre Waters, and Junior Seau all suffered from thousands upon thousands of blows to the head, causing multiple concussions. Because of the lack of communication between team doctors and the NFL and the lack of a diagnosis from the team doctors, each player went mentally insane and eventually committed suicide in their respective ways. This condition is now known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, and it is the effect of several untreated concussion patients. No shrinkage, no contusions, just a normal looking brain. But, there was something obviously wrong. This disease causes hallucinations, depression, aggression, dementia, short-term memory loss, and suicidal thoughts (League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis 2013). However, doctors had already seen something like this before, called “Punch Drunk,” but never to the extremity of this. CTE is a disease where a protein coined “tau,” clumps up within the brain and kills healthy cells that deal with mood, emotion, and thinking straight (Concussion 2015), thus the hallucinations, aggression and depression. People were losing their own lives and scaring their families, all due to head trauma. This could all be stopped if the administrations of professional sports, not just football, picks up their game in their concussion prevention.

Yes. It is impossible to completely eradicate the concussion. However, this doesn’t mean that it is impossible to minimize the number of concussions in young athletes and in professional athletes. In contact sports, athletes must wear appropriate equipment that is tested and certified to withstand contact of 60 g’s of force (minimum threshold for concussion). For example, a helmet must fit comfortably and must be in good condition, as well as other equipment (Brain Injury Safety Tips and Prevention 2015). In non-contact sports, athletes must learn how to play the game safely but effectively and they must learn proper technique in order to ensure those things. For example, a soccer player must be taught how to avoid collisions with another player, in order to ensure that no concussion will occur on that play. It is vital to the athlete and the team that all athletes learn proper techniques to ensure the minimization of concussions and later diseases that can come from concussions.

In conclusion, Dr. Omalu’s research was vital in starting the concussion prevention movement, but the research remains far from complete. With an increase in average concussions, it is time for revision on Omalu’s research and reconstruction to deal with today’s sports. “Need is not weak. Need is Need.” We, as a society, need change within the diagnosis and prevention of concussions. Now is the time for concussion protocol to be recreated. The longer we wait, the more athletes will be diagnosed with concussions, thus creating a less safe generation and society.

Works Cited:

"League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis." PBS. PBS, 08 Oct. 2013. Web. 9 December 2016.

"Brain Injury Safety Tips and Prevention." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 03 Dec. 2015. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.

Laskas, Jeanne Marie. “Concussion.” Random House, 2015. Print.

Burton, Tyler. "Youth Concussions on the Rise since 2010." CNN. Cable News Network, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.