This graph shows the relationship between the number of concussions retired football players had and the percentage of them that experienced depression. A total of 33% of retired football players have experienced some type of depression. Considering how many players there have been in the NFL, this number is very big. Many retired football players who have experienced several concussions have gone on to deal with severe depression and in some cases suicide has been the end result. This is an important graph because when these players suffered concussions their team doctors did nothing to help the problem. Today doing nothing is a very bad idea but 20 even 10 years ago players were told to play with the pain.

Concussion and Depression in Retired Football Players. 2003. Infographic. whyfiles.org

Preventing and Treating Concussions in Sports

            Recently in sports, concussions have become a huge epidemic. While some say that changing the rules will make the game “no fun” and “unwatchable” something has to be done to prevent concussions and CTE from becoming an even worse epidemic. CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy is the culmination of several concussions over an extended career of dealing with concussions. CTE can lead to headaches, dementia, depression and eventually death. So, how should sports teams and athletes approach the way concussions are treated? There are several ways to try to prevent concussions and concussion like symptoms from happening.

            Concussions cannot fully extinguish but there are things that can be done to prevent it. According to The Sports Legacy Institute and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 3 out of 4 athletes tested positive for a degenerative brain disease. 90% of concussions were not even diagnosed because the symptoms were subtle and the athletes did not know or were not encouraged to report them. Athletes that were examined were from different sports, they include: boxers, football players, and hockey players. This research showed that not only is degenerative brain disease spread throughout several sports but also that many of the athletes were not encouraged to report their concussion like symptoms.  Who knows how many other athletes in other sports have not reported concussion like symptoms? Even if all concussions cannot be prevented, CTE can possibly be caught early and treated correctly if more athletes’ are encouraged to report their concussions.

            The best way to prevent concussions in sports has also been the most controversial and criticized way of preventing concussions, rule changes.  Over the past few years rule changes have been argued by old school fans, especially in football. In the article The NFL and NHL React, Christopher Nowinski, a former pro wrestler and author of the book Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis, the NFL has done several things to prevent concussions like moving the kickoff line placement from the 30 to the 35-yard line and also have implemented a set amount of times a team can practice in full padded, tackling practices. They have also hired trainers to monitor and provide an insight on possible concussions. Concussions in the NHL have also been rampant. In 2010, three hockey players who played “enforcer” roles on their respective teams during their playing careers died. One died of a drug overdose and the other two died of apparent suicide. The NHL has started to investigate way to make the equipment and the game safer.

            Some may ask “If a concussion is such a serious issue then why have we not heard about it until recently.” The truth is, players, coaches, and organizations were not willing to release the information about how concussions affect people until recently. Over 120 players and their families have filed over a dozen lawsuits against the NFL for the way their concussions were approached. Many players claim they were not encouraged to report concussions and that the NFL knew the repercussions of concussions but did not inform the players of them.

            Concussions do not just happen to professional athletes. Concussions are wide-spread around all levels of athletics. One big issue that is becoming apparent is the problem that student athletes face when they experience a concussion. Some of the symptoms of concussions are: inability to concentrate, drowsiness, headaches and depression. All of these symptoms can play a big role in the academic performance of a student athlete. If a student cannot concentrate on his or her school work then they can fall behind and struggle to make up their work. In the article Concussions are No Fun, Kelly Whiteside, a writer for USA today, explains the story of an average high school soccer athlete, Brianna Binowski. Brianna experienced a concussion while playing soccer. She explained that it was hard for her to study or concentrate on school because of recurring headaches. As a result, Brianna’s grades went from straight As and Bs to Bs and Cs. Brianna explained that she had to work even harder and longer to get her grades back up and maintain them. After 9 months she still experienced bad headaches and sleeping issues. Preventing and treating concussions in student athletes is very important because most of them will not make it to the pro level and they need to be succesful in school for their future careers.

            According to my survey, most people are aware of concussions and some of the effects it has on people who experience them. Most of my constituents thought that football had the biggest problem with concussions, but they could not think of any ways to prevent concussions besides changing the equipment. So, what exactly are the NFL or NHL or any other sports league or association supposed to do to prevent concussions? Concussions will never go away; however, we can try to prevent them from happening by improving the equipment. We can add more padding to the helmets of football players and baseball players. We can also change the rules, not drastically but enough to ensure a higher safety rate. In hockey many players get concussions from fighting and illegal hits. Suspending and fining players who make illegal hits will send a little message but banning fights will send the message that it will not be tolerated anymore. High profile players are being hurt because of reckless fighting and illegal hits.

            Preventing concussions is only half of the battle because concussions will still happen no matter what, so we have to be able to treat concussions. In today’s technological medical field, new ways are being found to treat diseases but research on treating concussions and CTE is relatively new. With all the recent suicides of former athletes who were found to have traces of CTE, doctors are trying to find ways to find and treat CTE. A special kind of exercise has been created to help athletes who have experienced concussions and might have early signs of CTE or dementia. Preventing and treating concussions has certainly become a debatable topic but one thing is for certain; the battle against concussions and their long term effects is just beginning.

Works Cited

Thorne, James. “Sports Concussion Survey”. Survey.  March 2^nd 2012

"Sports-Related Brain Injuries." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 23  Mar.  2012.

<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-302840>.

"Sports-Related Brain Injuries." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 23  Mar.  2012.

<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-302839>.

"No debate on this: man-games lost to concussions on the upswing." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada] 13 Mar. 2012: S1. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2012

Whiteside, Kelly. "'Concussions Are No Fun'." USA TODAY. 28 Dec 2010: C.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 29 Mar 2012.

           

           

               

               

               

Read This!

Summary of Articles

How do concussions affect athletes and what are leagues doing to prevent them?

The NFL and the NHL React

           

Sports organizations have quickly changed the way they observe concussions. An NFL spokesperson was quoted saying, “there is absolutely no evidence to suggest a connection between the NFL and dementia”, yet the NFL has provided compensation for retired players that have received brain trauma from concussion. The NFL has made a few rule changes to lessen brain trauma. They moved the kickoff line placement from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line. They have also implemented full padding practices that can only be held 14 times a season. The NFL has also started paying certified trainers to monitor play and provide insight on a possible concussion. Over 120 players and their families have filed over a dozen lawsuits against the NFL for brain trauma they received while playing in the league. Concussions in the National Hockey League (NHL) have also been plentiful. Three players who played the most violent roles in the game, “enforcer”, died. One died of a drug overdose and the other two committed suicide. The proper medical term for what contributed to their death was chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. The NHL has stated that they will investigate ways to make the equipment and the game safer but has yet to do so.

The author focuses on two large sport leagues in the United States. He does not make any claims but simply states the facts. He cites a spokesperson saying there is no problem with concussions and then puts it into question because of what the NFL has done to compensate players. He also cites rule changes and other preventative matters taken by the NFL. The author also cites the deaths of three NHL players to appeal to the reader that concussions are a problem. While the author does not come right out and say it, there is an obvious feeling that they believe concussions are a serious matter. The credibility of this source is good but not great.

What is a concussion and how can it affect the brain?

Sports-Related Brain Injuries

by Christopher Nowinski

            An estimated 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries are attributed through sports and recreation. A concussion is defined as—a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that changes the way a person’s brain works. Concussions are far more serious than previously believed. In the past athletes were told to ignore concussions. The Sports Legacy Institute and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs examined 100 athletes, mostly boxers, football players, and hockey players, and found that 3 out of 4 athletes tested positive for a degenerative brain disease. 90% of concussions were not even diagnosed because the symptoms were subtle and the athletes did not know or were not encouraged to report them. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by several hits to the head. It can lead to dementia and possible death.

            In this article Christpher Nowinski gives facts about concussions and tells what concussions do. He states that 3 out of 4 athletes tested positive for degenerative brain disease. He also defines what a concussion is and slightly compares what people used to think and what is now known about concussions. The author uses two credible sources to back up his other facts. This is a very credible source and shows no bias point of view. This does help me in what to look for when it comes to concussions and knowing exactly what a concussion is.

How could some leagues change their equipment to reduce the number of concussions?

No debate on this: man-games lost to concussions on the upswing

Byline: JAMES MIRTLE

            Statistics, charts and videos were presented by NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan to all 30 general managers of the teams. Some GMs were surprised at the

videos and charts, but some GMs like Brian Burke of the Toronto Maple Leafs does not think it is as bad as it is often made out to be. Some GMs think that the culture of the NHL has changed positively. One rule change that has been introduced in the NHL is the Rule 48. It is used to punish players for blindside hits. Players that suffer concussions or experience concussion like symptoms are immediately sent off the ice for evaluation. The NHL is trying to find other possible solutions for concussions. Some say that trying to change padding could help but it is a difficult process for it to get approved by all teams. There are four ways concussions are suffered in the NHL. There are concussions suffered through fights, accidental collisions and off of legal and illegal hits. The illegal hits are what the NHL is focusing on. Rule changes have not affected the game much, at least not yet. There will never be 0 concussions and the game is not worth watching if no one gets injured because that is the culture of the game.

            James Mirtle explains describes how GMs reacted to videos and charts regarding concussions. He quoted some GMs about the subject. He also explains new rule changes that have been implemented to try to reduce the rate of concussions and the efficiency at which they are treated. He also discusses some ways to help with the concussion issue but also states the problems with these solutions. He voices his opinion somewhat when he states that the rule changes have not helped the game. Overall this is a decent source..

How do concussions affect athletes in high school?

'Concussions Are No Fun'

By Kelly Whiteside

            Concussions do not just affect professional or college athletes. Concussions also affect high school athletes. A big problem with concussions for students is the affect they have in the classroom. An average high school athlete named Brianna Binowski spoke at her school. She said that after nine months she still gets headaches and it is hard to wake up. The NFL has brought a lot of awareness to concussions. Eight states passed concussion specific legislation to protect young athletes. The NFL and National Athletic

Trainers Association announced a partnership at the Youth Sports Safety Summit on Capitol Hill. They plan on establishing laws for minimum standards of concussion safety and management for high school sports. Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects individuals who have a disability (temporary or permanent) that affects their performance. Section 504 helps students who suffer from concussions relax a little and not get as stressed due to homework. According to studies, female athletes are more likely to suffer sports related concussions. Boys usually have more cognitive symptoms like difficulty concentrating. Girls have more neurological issues like trouble sleeping or over-sleeping and somatic issues such as headaches and sensitivity to light and various noises. For every concussion that is suffered in the NFL, there are 50,000 suffered by high school athletes. Ways to help students in school are: taking breaks, be given more time on tests and assignments, and reducing time spent on the computer.

            This article helped me in a big way. It not only showed me that concussions are a problem in high school but also informed me that females are more likely to get concussions than males. The author, Kelly Whiteside, also tells about a plan to try to prevent and reduce the rate of concussions. He uses a story about an average high school athlete who goes through the problems of a concussion every day. She also gives helpful ways to help students who suffer from concussions so they do not fall behind in school. The credibility of this source is good and was very useful to my research.

Works Cited

"Sports-Related Brain Injuries." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 23  Mar.  2012.

<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-302840>.

"Sports-Related Brain Injuries." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 23  Mar.  2012.

<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-302839>.

"No debate on this: man-games lost to concussions on the upswing." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada] 13 Mar. 2012: S1. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2012

Whiteside, Kelly. "'Concussions Are No Fun'." USA TODAY. 28 Dec 2010: C.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 29 Mar 2012.

           

Essential Questions

Over the course of my research I aim to answer several questions about concussions and how they can affect an athlete’s mind and how sports officials are addressing this issue. Concussions are not a joke. They can lead to many health problems such as dimentia and alzheimers. A lot of people do not realize how serious concussins are.

Some questions I intend on answering are:

What is a concussion?

What are some early signs of a concussion?

What are some symptoms of concussions?

Can concussions be prevented?

Which sports have the biggest concussion issues?

How long have sports officials and overseers know about the seriousness of concussions?

How have concussions changed the way sports have been played?

Can concussions affect you through your life time?

Why have sports officials over looked concussions?

How many people die in the United States due to concussions?

How much higher is the possibility of an athlete to commit suicide after experiencing a concussion?

What are some rule changes that have been made in sports to prevent concussions?

Have there been equipment malfunctions that contributed to an athlete experience a concussion?

Have there been equipment modifications to try to prevent concussions in certain sports?

Not a Little Issue

Hypothesis: The way concussions have been handled in professional sports in the last century has been pitiful. I asked the question "How should professional sports leagues and teams approach concussions"? I wanted to see how many people were aware of this issue and see what they thought of it. Concussions are serious injuries that affect not only an athlete's performance, but if it is suffered enough times it could have serious implications on an athlete's life. I believe that most of the people that watch sports will be aware and somewhat knowledgeable of concussions; however' they might not know how to prevent concussions from happening.

 

Context: I surveyed 10 people about my controversial subject of concussions in professional sports. I mainly aimed my survey toward males at the beginning. I decided to survey females to see how much they knew about concussions because females watch sports too. I tried to survey more teenagers because most all teenage males watch professional sports. I decided to target an older demographic because those people grew up in a different era where concussions were not a huge concern and everyone said "play through the pain".

Questions	Male	Female
Age	14-18: 10  19-25: 1  26-35: 2     36+: 4 Total: 17	14-18: 7   26-35: 1 Rest: 0 Total: 8
Q1- Do you watch sports?	Yes- 15      No- 2	Yes- 6     No- 2
Q2- How aware are you of concussions in professional sports? Aware/ Somewhat Aware /   Not Aware	Aware- 12 Somewhat Aware- 7 Not Aware- 0	Aware- 4 Somewhat Aware- 3 Not Aware- 1
Q3- How much do you believe the integrity of professional sports has been downgraded because of the new rule changes around the leagues to prevent concussions?  A lot/ A little/ Not at all	A lot- 7 A little- 8 Not at All- 2	A lot- 4 A little- 2 Not at all- 2
Q4- Which sports have problems with their players having concussions? Only sports that at least one person circled are included.	Football- 17     Lacrosse- 3 Basketball- 11  Rugby- 6 Baseball- 14     Snowboarding-9  Skiing- 4 Hockey- 15 Soccer- 8	Football- 8     Lacrosse- 1 Basketball- 7  Rugby- 6 Baseball- 6      Skiing- 5 Hockey- 6      Tennis- 3 Soccer- 6      Lacrosse- 4 Golf- 3          Volleyball- 2 Snowboarding- 6
Q5- Which sport do you think has the biggest issues with concussions?	Football- 12 Hockey- 3 Rugby- 2	All 8 said football
Q6- Should sports leagues change equipment to try to prevent concussions? Why or why not?	16 said yes and it had to do with safety reasons and saving the players from future injuries. 1 said no because they wanted to keep the game the way it is.	All 8 said yes in order to protect player’s safety.
Q7- Do you think concussions affect you for the rest of your life? Yes or No	All 17 answered yes	All 8 answered yes
Q8- What can professional sports leagues do to prevent concussion besides changes in equipment?	All 17 said something different. Answers: Nothing, I don’t know, don’t play it, more education, more training, more padding, adjust rules, penalize players, and some did not know what to do	All 8 had differentiating ideas. Some agreed with each other. Answers: Change rules, educate more, benefit from the past, Some did not know
Q9- Do you think players should sue their leagues if they have life-long concussion like symptoms? Why or Why not?	16 people said no because the players knew what they were getting into and signed a contract. 1 said yes because if injuries consistently occur and the league does nothing it is not right.	7 people said no because they knew what they were getting into. 1 said yes to get justice for the league not doing anything.
Q10- How much can a concussion affect the way an athlete competes? A lot/ A little/ Not at all	A lot- 14 A little- 3 Not at all- 0	A lot- 7 A little- 1 Rest- 0

Trends:  

·         Everyone was aware of concussions in professional sports even those who did not watch the sports.

·         Everyone agreed that concussions affect you your whole life.

·         Football, Hockey, and Rugby are the most well know concussion occurring sports.

Data Analysis: Some of the data for this survey was all over the place. Other parts everyone agreed on the question. I found that everyone whether they watched sports or not, knew at least somewhat that concussions were a problem. Everyone was aware that concussions can affect someone's whole life. Everyone agreed about football having concussion problems. This shows you how mainstream football has become and how more people are becoming more aware of concussions. Hockey and soccer are also popular choices. I was surprised snowboarding was picked as much as it was. I did notice that all of the guys chose sports that usually involve a lot of contact or hard hits while females though that concussions could happen in non-contact sports. All but one constituent said leagues need to change the equipment used to prevent more injuries. They all believed player safety was more important. All but two people said players should not sue their leagues if they experience life-long concussion like symptoms. They said the players knew what they were getting into and signed a contract to play. The two that said no said so because they need to get justice if the league did not do anything to help them. There were a number of different answers for question 8. Everyone either had a different opinion or did not know what to do. Everyone agreed concussions do affect a player ability to compete. There were some answers confused me and also surprised me, such as the answers for question 8.

 

Conclusion: After reviewing my data, I have concluded that my hypothesis was right. Everyone who I surveyed knew about concussions, even those who do not watch sports. My constituents had some ideas about how to prevent concussions but did not know enough information to come up with a solid solution. An answer to my essential question is still a little lost. From my results I gathered that my constituents think equipment needs to be changed and some rules should be changed but they also believe the integrity of the game will also be affected.

Story Behind My Research- How should sports leagues and teams approach Concussions?

Concussions have always been an issue in sports, but it is not until recently, with all of the advancements in medical technology, that people have taken notice of the serious implications that concussions have on the brain. I am writing about this subject because I am a huge sports fan and I hate seeing players lay on the field or court motionless because of an illegal hit. Over the past few years the topic of concussions has been very controversial. It used to be that coaches and teams would say, “Play through the pain” or “no pain, no game”. Now some teams are changing those unwritten “rules” and are taking more medical precautions to make sure that their players are fully healthy and can play to the best of their abilities, which I respect. Unfortunately there are still some “old school” players, coaches and fans who say that they cannot change the integrity of the games and those players should “deal with it”. This topic is still up for debate but I personally believe that some type of change needs to be made in sports.