Concussion Paper

Sam Foard

Mrs. Zurkowski

Honors English 9 Yellows

5 October 2010

Concussions and Their Risks

            A concussion is a serious medical injury that occurs mostly in high school sports and the effects of a concussion can be life altering. Every year over 300,000 people suffer from concussions in high school sports (Powell). Concussions are a major issue and there should be more safety protocols for when an athlete suffers a concussion during a sport.

            A concussion is a trauma-induced change in mental statues, with confusion and amnesia, and or without the loss of consciousness (Concussions 1). It occurs when the head is hit, if an object hits the head, or if the head suddenly stops causing the brain to hit the skull (Concussions 1).  Symptoms of a concussion include confusion and disorientation, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea (Kelly 1). “According to the U.S. center for disease control and Prevention (DCP) as of 2005, about 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury each year I the U.S. (Concussion).

            High School football is one of the most dangerous sports that results in the most concussions per year. There are very little to no records kept of high school athletes suffering from a concussion (Powell 3). Football helmets are designed to prevent skull fractures but do almost nothing to protect the athlete from suffering a concussion (Powell 3). Each year over three hundred thousand athletes suffer a concussion in high school sports mostly due to football (Powell 3). The concussion rate of spring football is more than double the rate of regular fall football (Powell 3). “Spring training is an opportunity to injure kids.”  (Division 1 sports trainer).

            The effects of a concussion can be life altering and doctors advise that a player should rest until side effects are completely gone. Days and even weeks after a concussion a player may still be suffering from side effects of a concussion and still be at risk (Kelly). An athlete that had received many concussions may suffer side effects even years apart (Kelly). Many athletes, especially boxers and football players, have received permanent brain damage as the result of numerous concussions (Kelly). “According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2005, about 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury  (concussion) each year in the United States” (Concussion).

            A common argument made is that when a player receives a concussion sitting out may hurt the team’s record. This is true because when I was playing lacrosse and received a minor concussion I had to sit out from play for a week which took a toll on out teams performance.

Even though this is true if I was to receive another concussion and of suffered permanent brain damage it would not have been worth it.

            Another argument is that concussions are only a minor injury and no big deal. Even though a minor concussion is a not a serious of an injury multiple minor concussion or a major concussion can cause bleeding in the brain which is considered a medical emergency (Concussion). Also approximately 50,000 people die each year from head related injury’s (Concussion).

            When a player receives a concussion he is at risk for suffering major injuries. A concussion is a serious medical condition and there should be greater safety protocols when an athlete receives a concussion.

Works Cited

"Concussion." World of Health. Gale, 2007. Gale Student Resources In  Context. Web. 28 Sept.     2010.

Kelly, James P. "Concussion." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 2010. Grolier Online. 24             Sep. 2010 <http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0069600-0>.

Powell, Shaun. " Concussions in Sports: Wake-Up Call." Newsday (Long Island, NY). 07 Jul 1996: . Sirs Researcher.Web.  15 Sep 2010.