The Danger of Concussions
By Dane Wierman
Some of the most popular sports to the american public like football, hockey and soccer are played by all ages. While a great way thing for people to do, these sports come with the danger of injuries just like anything else. However, the concussion is one of the most prominent and dangerous injuries someone can get.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head or violent shaking of the head and body. In a sport like football, there is a constant danger of getting hit by another in the head with a shoulder pad or another helmet. Not only that, but hits in football are followed with the complete weight of the other person behind it. The danger comes from the brain hitting the front and back of the skull which can cause swelling and instant unconsciousness.
The Effects of a Concussion
A concussion has both short and long term effects. Depending on the severity, a person can recover from this type of injury in as little as a week or as long as a couple of months. Short term effects range from ringing in the ears, headaches, vertigo, nausea and loss of consciousness. The long term effects are a little more scary. They range from long term memory loss all the way to emotional problems which include an extremely high chance of suicide if there have been multiple concussions over a period of time.
Ways to avoid a Concussion
The easiest ways to prevent concussions are to have proper training. The best thing to do is make sure coaches and players know the proper form for each sport. A major problem in soccer is how people head the ball places where people hit the ball too hard and their brain rattles, Also, there are new technologies which are helping to ease the impact from collisions.