I.A. Contact Sports

Quick Question

• Would you let your son or daughter play a contact sport?
• Did the risks of TBIs come to you when you answered this?

Concussions

• Concussion rates have doubled between the years of 1997 to 2010.
• Boys football and girls soccer are the highest among all sports with boys lacrosse 3rd, hockey 4th.
• Girls basketball players suffer 240% more concussions than boys basketball players!
• 15.8% of football players who have a concussion while playing in a game,continue playing the game.
• Concussion rates in baseball, football, and soccer have INCREASED even though participation is DOWN.

WORLD PROBLEM

• Should we continue letting our youth play these sports at ages of 6-10?
• What should be implemented to reduce the risks of TBIs?

My take

• Yes with restrictions, for instance flag football should be substituted for the youth.
• Severe penalties should be inforced, we see this in lacrosse and college football.
• Coaches should teach different but safer techniques! (Don't lunge with the head)
• We see improvement with the NFL's program "Heads up Football".
• Short Clip: Sports Science's "Concussions"

Untitled Slide

Long term effects

• PCS: can last for weeks,months or years; set of symptons after TBI. (headaches, difficult concentrating)
• Can it be treated? Sometimes! With behavioral and physical therapy but it lingers.
• Brett Favre? Junior Seau? Could this of been prevented?
• But is it only football players? No its just the reputation the sport gets.

Conclusion

• Society should focus more on other sports not just football!
• We need to limit the type of hits in youth levels by penalizing stricter to the head shots.
• What is more important a game or their life?
• I think there should be a time frame break that athletes have to take if they get a TBI.