Concussions in Soccer Players
Maddie Sauer
Mrs. Grana
Anatomy Paper, Sports Medicine
17 January 2012
Concussions in Soccer
Although often overlooked, concussions can be one of the most serious injuries a soccer player can face in their sports career. Many athletes in contact sports focus on getting playing time and showing others their skills and ignore what their bodies are telling them. Often times, athletes will brush off injuries because they feel it is normal, especially in popular sports such as soccer. Soccer has become the second most popular sport among children and every child will at least kick a soccer ball around at some point in their lives. When it comes to injuries that involve vital organs like the brain, any signs of injury should not be ignored. About one out of ten contact sports players this season will receive a concussion. Many soccer players pride themselves on being strong and can handle anything and always want to show the scouts their foot skills, but a lot of times that thinking gets them in trouble. When left undiagnosed and untreated concussions can cause many more problems down the line that could end an athlete’s career forever. All of this and more is discussed in an article released in Public Heath Reports.
Concussions most commonly occur when extreme force is placed on the cranial cavity. The force can either directly affect the brain, or the brain can be thrown forward and hit the skull. This can cause damage to the brain and neurons. If left unrecognized or untreated a concussion can cause further damage to the brain and its function. Since a concussion cannot be physically seen, many players and coaches do not take seriously the severity of its harm to the body. Many times there are no obvious signs of a concussion other than common pains such as a headache or nausea. Usually when brain or head injuries occur, a scan is taken of the cranial cavity to assess the damage. However, scans such as an MRI, CT, or EEG will not identify a concussion. Most
Mrs. Grana
Anatomy Paper, Sports Medicine
17 January 2012
Concussions in Soccer
Although often overlooked, concussions can be one of the most serious injuries a soccer player can face in their sports career. Many athletes in contact sports focus on getting playing time and showing others their skills and ignore what their bodies are telling them. Often times, athletes will brush off injuries because they feel it is normal, especially in popular sports such as soccer. Soccer has become the second most popular sport among children and every child will at least kick a soccer ball around at some point in their lives. When it comes to injuries that involve vital organs like the brain, any signs of injury should not be ignored. About one out of ten contact sports players this season will receive a concussion. Many soccer players pride themselves on being strong and can handle anything and always want to show the scouts their foot skills, but a lot of times that thinking gets them in trouble. When left undiagnosed and untreated concussions can cause many more problems down the line that could end an athlete’s career forever. All of this and more is discussed in an article released in Public Heath Reports.
Concussions most commonly occur when extreme force is placed on the cranial cavity. The force can either directly affect the brain, or the brain can be thrown forward and hit the skull. This can cause damage to the brain and neurons. If left unrecognized or untreated a concussion can cause further damage to the brain and its function. Since a concussion cannot be physically seen, many players and coaches do not take seriously the severity of its harm to the body. Many times there are no obvious signs of a concussion other than common pains such as a headache or nausea. Usually when brain or head injuries occur, a scan is taken of the cranial cavity to assess the damage. However, scans such as an MRI, CT, or EEG will not identify a concussion. Most
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