Concusions in Athletes Essay examples -- Sports

In recent studies, it has been found that concussions resulting from athletics are becoming increasingly dangerous while at the same time given less consideration. Sports related mild traumatic brain injuries in children have increased by sixty percent in the last decade. Approximately 173,285 cases of mild traumatic brain injuries relating to sports are treated each year in U.S. emergency departments (CDC). One may ask just what exactly a concussion is. A concussion can be defined as a clinical syndrome characterized by immediate and transient impairment of neural function, such as alteration of consciousness, disturbance of vision, equilibrium, etc., due to mechanical forces (Roy/Irvin, 142). The brain is made up of a â€Å"tofu-like† substance which can impact against the rigid walls of the skull, causing a change in neurological function and more. Basically, a concussion is when the head or body suffers a blow and the brain gets â€Å"sloshed† around causing it damage (Roy/Irvin, 142). There are many ways that a person can obtain a concussion. Concussions could be a result of a car accident or an unexpected fall. In sports, they are usually caused by a direct blow to the head. This can happen when a bat, hockey stick, or any type of ball strikes the head. It can also happen when a player comes in contact with another player, as in tackling during football. A concussion could also be a result of colliding with a stationary object, such as a post or wall (Children’s Memorial Hospital). The most important and also the most difficult process of a concussion is recognizing one. Some athletes will experience obvious signs and symptoms of a concussion and others will have none. Each human brain is very different which makes recognition ver... ...p://www.childrensmemorial.org/depts/sportsmedicine/concussion-in-sport.aspx>. Faul, M., L. Xu, and VG Coronado. "CDC - Traumatic Brain Injury." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011. Web. 01 Feb. 2012. . Gupta, Sanjay. "Sports Concussion - Protecting Youth Athletes from Concussions..." SportsConcussions.org | Concussion Testing Made Simple. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. . McBride, Tiffany. "Concussions in Sports." E-mail interview. 19 Jan. 2012. Roy, Steven, and Richard Irvin. Sports Medicine: Prevention, Evaluation, Management, and Rehabilitation. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983. Print. Valovich McLeod, Tara C. "Concussions: Cognitive Rest." Athletic Therapy Today 2010: 1-4. Web.