Head Trauma In Sports

Many sports fans are aware of the common injuries athletes sustain in their time of play such as concussions, but what many people do not know of are what happens to an athlete after sustaining the head trauma. Diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis(ALS) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy(CTE) can affect athletes many years after sustaining concussions and can lead to death. Many sports corporations such as the NFL are taking steps to help prevent further head trauma to their athletes, but many critics are questioning whether the NFL is really doing enough. The question on everyone’s mind is what can the sports corporations do to further help protect players from these deadly diseases?
To fully understand the severity of the situation
one must know what the two fatal diseases that can be caused by head trauma are. The most severe of the two is ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis which is almost always fatal. ALS affects the nerves and spinal cord and eventually weakens the muscles until the victim can no longer walk, breathe, speak, or eat on their own. The lungs are always the last part of the body to be affected by ALS. The brain is the only part of the body that is not attacked. This disease is very fatal as most people die two to five years after diagnosis. The most famous case of ALS is former baseball star Lou Gehrig who the disease is nicknamed after. Gehrig died only three years after diagnosis. Repeated head trauma is believed to be a factor in early diagnosis in athletes. On average, athletes are diagnosed with ALS 10 years earlier than non-athletes.
CTE is the second of the two diseases caused by head trauma. CTE stands for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and this disease, unlike ALS, does attack the brain. Repeated hits to the head can cause a type of protein to build up in the brain which kills the brain cells. Common symptoms are memory loss, depression, paranoia, aggression, and confusion . CTE has no cure and can only be diagnosed after the victim has died and doctors examine the brain tissue. Football players and other athletes as well as military personnel are the most likely to get CTE. Many former NFL players such as Mike Webster, Junior Seau, and Dave Duerson have committed suicide due to the disease. CTE can make a person very emotionally unstable which could cause them to be a threat to themselves as well as others. CTE can also cause other diseases such as Parkinson's, Dementia, and Alzheimer's. Parkinson's disease affects the central nervous system and symptoms include shakiness, stiff muscles, fatigue, amnesia, and much more. Alzheimer's is a disease that causes memory loss, aggression, mood swings, and depression. Alzheimer's causes major memory loss and many people with the disease can not recognize their own families in the later stages. Dementia and Alzheimer's have many of the same symptoms such as memory loss, irritability, and confusion.
Athletes are much more likely to be diagnosed with ALS and CTE due to repeated hits to the head throughout their careers.
Athletes are diagnosed on average about 10 years earlier than non-athletes. The main focus of CTE research is on football players. Former NFL players such as Junior Seau, Ken Stabler, and Mike Webster were all found to have had the disease. While the focus of this research is on professional athletes doctors are starting to discover signs of CTE in athletes as young as 17. Nathan Stiles was a senior in high school when he passed away and was diagnosed with early stages of CTE. This is very concerning to parents of children playing contact sports, but it can also be a good thing as many schools and companies are starting to make player safety more of a priority to try to prevent this disease from affecting athletes at younger ages. Other sports have had athletes diagnosed with CTE as well. Former professional baseball player Ryan Freel was the first baseball player to be diagnosed with CTE. Freel played 9 seasons in the MLB and sustained multiple head injuries. He committed suicide in 2012 due to his brain
trauma.
Concussions and head trauma are a very serious issue in the sports world today. A growing number of former athletes are being diagnosed with ALS and CTE due to poor concussion protocol in the past. If concussions would have been treated properly then maybe more athletes would not have suffered with these deadly diseases. Rest is an important part of the recovery process after sustaining a concussion. If an athlete returns to action too soon after a concussion they could risk possibly getting re injured and being out even longer with more long term effects. Athletes should also limit activities that cause them to overthink as this could slow down the recovery time.
Many sports corporations such as the NFL have taken steps to improve player safety. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners have started a $100 million initiative to help improve head trauma. This funding will go towards engineering and medical advancements. The league also hosts head health challenges where up to $10 million will be awarded for new innovations that can help protect against head trauma. The league will also help with medical payments while the athlete is still in the league, but if the player is retired the NFL will not do much to help with medical expenses.
I think that the league is taking steps in the right direction regarding player safety and head health.
As a spectator of professional football I think the league may be too overprotective at times. The players understand the dangers of the game and they should not have to be scared to hit another player in fear of being fined or suspended. We should let these athletes do their jobs and if they get hurt then the appropriate medical treatments will be provided. Other than that I believe the NFL is doing positive things such as funding for new technologies and neurosurgeons to help protect players and prevent head trauma in
athletes.
In conclusion, the NFL and other sports corporations have made great strides in player safety in the last decade. Future technology and medical research will only improve our knowledge and understanding of these deadly diseases. CTE and ALS are two very devastating diseases and people should take steps to try to prevent excessive brain damage. Athletes all around the world should educate themselves about these diseases and the consequences that may happen if they do not take the time to properly heal.