Preview

Concussions Nhl

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1897 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Concussions Nhl
The National Hockey league (NHL) has seen many concussions in its players in recent years. It is an injury that has ended the careers of many great players and its side effects plague many others afterwards. In this paper I aim to outline the effects that concussions can have on the player, such as headaches, nausea, amnesia and depression. Also, I will look at some of the causes of concussions in the NHL and some possible solutions to eliminate the problem. Some of the causes I will look include the current regulations, size of the equipment, fighting, and player denial.
Concussions are common in most contact sports as they are in the NHL. They have become more common in the media over the past few years when star players have been on the receiving end. A recent study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal looks at concussions among National Hockey League players during regular season games. It gives a background of the injury and describes it. A concussion is defined as a complex pathophysiologic process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical force. Concussion results in a graded set of clinical syndromes that may or may not involve loss of consciousness or memory dysfunction. Concussion typically results in a functional disturbance with the rapid onset of short- lived impairment of neurologic function that resolves spontaneously. (pp.905)
It has been estimated that the incidence could be as high as 20% of players per hockey team annually sustain concussions (Tator, 2009). A staggering statistic like this show there is a serious problem that needs to be looked at.
The Effects
In the NHL many players have received several concussions. After a player gets his first concussion he is more susceptible to getting a second or third (Tator, 2009). In the case of players such as Pat Lafontaine, Paul Kariya and Eric Lindros this was so. Not only did they receive several concussions but the extent and severity of their concussions led to the



References: Benson, B. W., Meeuwisse, W. H., Rizos, J., Kang, K., & Burke, C. (2011). A prospective study of Concussions among National Hockey League players during regular season games: the Custance, C. (2011). When playing hurts, The Sporting News. Vol. 235(4), p44 Farber, M Mail. Retrieved March 22, 2012 from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/concussions/nhler-bob-probert-suffered-from-degenerative-brain-disease-scientists-find/article1927734/ Tator, C

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    At this point in time, there is not enough evidence to answer the question of how successful the NFL concussion protocol is. The statistics regarding concussion incidences in the NFL provides outsiders with inconsistent data. There is no clear pattern of steady increasing or decreasing rates over the course of multiple seasons. These results seemed to support the evidence that not all concussion present the same way. This variation in clinical presentation might be an explanation as for why some seasons had a drop in concussion rates. Even though a player might not show drastic signs of a concussion such as loss of consciousness or changes in gait, it should not be assumed that the player has not sustained an…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Globe and Mail’s editorial, “The NHL’s Concussion Quandary”(2015), speaks out regarding the level of long-term harm professional hockey players are enduring due to the lack of guidelines when it comes to concussion protocol. Coming from a hockey family, with professional connections, one must consider what goes on between the players, trainers, coaches, general managers, and everyday fans being the issue not the regulations of the league. “The NHL’s Concussion Quandary” is finding players returning to the game too soon a pressing problem, what the outside eye doesn’t see is the player “sucking it up” to receive their pay check and bonuses. Although their main talent lies on the ice, professional hockey players have skill when it comes to…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Pittsburgh Penguins Center Sidney Crosby has been at the center of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) concussion debate. He has missed 41 games (basically half the 2011-2012 season) due to concussion issues. At 24 years old with such acumen for the game, he is without a doubt the face of professional hockey. Another high profile example is Philadelphia Flyer Defenceman Chris Pronger who has played just 13 games this season for the Flyers. During a game in late October Pronger was struck with a stick in the eye. No penalty was called on the play. He missed games until Nov. 9. He was removed from the lineup just five games later with concussion-like symptoms. He missed the rest of the regular season and the entire playoffs which start this week. The examples here are only two only the many players who are currently dealing with concussions, yet these two players have brought the issue to the forefront which has forced head injuries to be taken more seriously.…

    • 3286 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The National Hockey League is one of the most intense and aggressive leagues in the world. The NHL is home to the best professional hockey players in the world; professionals who perform every night for their teammates, coaches, and especially their fans. This is a league where every night players risk their bodies being knocked to the ice and punched in the face by their opponents. Because of this risk, the NHL needs to find a way to protect the star players they have. Fighting and open ice hits should be removed from the game of hockey in order to limit head injuries, avoid deadly situations, and encourage better quality game.…

    • 1096 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The NFL (National football league), a standout amongst the most watched games on the planet and is famous for the aggressiveness of the game. This sport is played by two groups of 11 players each on a rectangular, 100-yard-long field with objective lines and goal posts at either end, the objective being to pick up ownership of a ball and propel it in running or passing plays over the rival's objective line or kick it through the air between the adversary's goalposts. Despite the fact that this game is generally supported by the public it seems to come with the dangers of wounds and injuries. One of the most common injuries in the game is when a player his hit with a violent shock to the head resulting in a wound on the brain. This injury has…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Concussions in Hockey

    • 3217 Words
    • 13 Pages

    The sport of hockey is an intense test of power and will, and as a result of the injuries in sport are common realities that players and coaches are faced with. Among these injuries are concussions, arguably the worst injury of all. A significant blow to the head that causes the brain to shake in the skull and sometime even swell causes a concussion. These serious and sometimes life threatening injuries have always been a part of hockey, and up until a few years ago, little was being done to combat the cause. Although great strides have been made to help athletes recover from a concussion, the question arises, why are hockey players so susceptible to these terrible head injuries in the first place? From that question we can categorize sub questions that will help us determine whether or not this rapidly increasing injury can be stopped, or at least reduced in all levels of hockey.…

    • 3217 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hockey Concussions

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages

    To begin with, many hockey helmets being made are unsafe, which cause the risk for a concussion more likely for…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The brain and concussions

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not lifethreatening. Even so, their effects can be serious.…

    • 502 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    head injuries

    • 780 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hockey is a sport of speed and strength. With the growing size and strength of today's players, injuries are likely to occur. Concussions are one of these injuries that include a wide variety of conditions and symptoms. “A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alter the way your brain functions” (Staff, Mayo Clinic). The game of Hockey causes severe collisions that sometimes result in head injuries. “Although concussions usually are caused by a blow to the head, they can also occur when the head and upper body are violently shaken. These injuries can cause a loss of consciousness, but most concussions do not. Because of this, some people have concussions and don't realize it” (Staff, Mayo Clinic). Concussions are common in any contact sport. According to the Mayo Clinic, all forms of concussions impair your brain in some fashion. These injuries often take time to heal. The time frame for these injuries varies from patient to patient. Concussion's symptoms are one part to analyze and evaluate to determine their effects on the game of hockey.…

    • 780 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Contact sports today such as hockey are very fast paced, and dangerous. Due to the high level of contact in the game of hockey, injuries such as the concussion have become more common. Due to the injury, the National Hockey league has made various changes in rules and which has impacted the way the game is played. As both a player and a fan of the sport, I disagree with the alterations that have been made. In my argument, I intend to show organizations such as the National Hockey League that the injuries come from the players and that the added rules are lowering the enjoyment of the game. The NHL has no doubt increased the safety of players. However, numerous players and fans feel as if the enjoyment of the game has decreased. The big hits and fighting are what…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Exploratory essay

    • 1915 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Receiving a concussion is a very serious matter that requires medical assistance and constant attention to make sure a player heals without any problems. Sports Illustrated published an article based off of Chris Pronger, an 18-year-old NHL veteran, after he took a nasty hit into the boards against Toronto…

    • 1915 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Concussions In Ice Hockey

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The two sports are both at high risk of injury. They are both high contact sports they call for heavy padding and a lot of protection. The game of ice hockey is especially strenuous on someone's head. The most recent and accurate study on concussions in the NHL was done in seven seasons over 1997-2004. This study showed that 559 players had gotten a concussion during regular season games over seven seasons(Concussions Statistics Tallied in Study of NHL).…

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The National Football League has made it a focal point in the past decade to prevent concussions as much as they can. The actions such as training team physicians to be able to identify symptoms of a concussion and to ultimately increase awareness of head injuries.In the current day in age with football, there are countless players that play through concussions and hide the symptoms. This ultimately concludes with long-term brain damage to the player and gives a bad reputation to the NFL for not noticing the injury. In a recent push to garner the public’s trust again, the NFL talked about the risk of concussions and brain injury’s comes along with the game, but they are doing their best to prevent them. George Miller, a National Football spokesman,…

    • 167 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Nichole H. Cole. “Sports-Related Concussion: A Narrative Review of the Literature.” Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association. 12.5 (2011) 182-189. Web. 9 Dec.…

    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Concussions

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) a couple years ago, tool kits were distributed to schools which proved to improve a coach’s ability to understand concussions and their severity and educate their athletes and others on the topic (Sarmiento). Especially with new information, people continue to become more and more aware of the problems concussions present. While concussions before were looked at as an athlete being soft, weak, and lazy by coaches and parents, they are not ignored and looked away from like before. Major sports leagues like the NFL and even individual states for schools have developed concussion protocols and laws that must be followed to protect the well-being of the athletes. “Laws in the majority of states require that a youth athlete be removed from play when a concussion is suspected” whether a clear blow was seen or slight symptoms are observed (Graham).…

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays