Discussions of the
effects of concussions on the human brain have surfaced in the news
with greater frequency lately. The rise of mixed martial arts has
triggered debates on the toll that contact sports take on the human
body. In addition, controversy about football and player safety
continues to simmer as retired players regularly come forward showing
signs of depression and memory loss.
Nearly four-million
sports-related concussions occur in the United States each year, with
as many as 300,000 of them suffered by high-school athletes. It is
expected that figures in Canada are proportionally similar. Though
high school students are not exposed to violence on the level of
professional fighters and football players, a number of popular
school sports can present a high risk of head injuries.
High school sports can
be particularly dangerous. Nearly 30% of reported cases of
high-school concussions are football related. Football is responsible
for two-thirds of all sports-related traumatic brain injuries,
including cerebral contusions, dementia, and the development of a
hematoma.
Soccer and basketball players also suffer a surprising
number of concussions, each making up approximately 15% of all
adolescent concussion victims.
Understanding the
nature of brain injuries should be the first step in their
prevention. Parents with children interested in sports should be sure
to do thorough research on which sports present higher risk of injury
and concussion. By doing this parents can make the most informed
decision about which sports their children should participate in.
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