In the past year or two there has
been a massive increase in the amount of publicity surrounding the issue of
concussions and physical sports. Although it has been all over the news it hasn’t
only been in professional sports. Parents of young children have been fighting
for stricter rules in sports such as lacrosse and hockey, and the NHL and NFL
have molded their rules to create harsher consequences for players who
exclusively hit for the head.
In a world
where sports and athletes grow relatively stronger compared to the generations
before, but still using the same bodies and basic equipment it is important to
monitor the way the game is affecting many athletes, specifically after their
playing days are over. In Olympic running alone, 85 years ago the winner of the
100 yd. sprint would be beaten by the man who came in dead last of a qualifying
sprint to hopefully get into the Olympics.
This alone is a scary fact when you realize that the same sports are
being played. Athletes are getting bigger, faster and stronger, but the brains
are still protected by virtually the same piece of plastic and foam. Not to
mention, most hits are so jarring that regardless of the helmet the human brain
will still be forced to move in such a way that it still hits through the
protective membrane into the skull thus creating a concussion and normally a temporary
loss of consciousness.
I have
played physical sports my whole life. Iv had no less than four major
concussions, as well as 5 minor throughout my hockey, lacrosse and wakeboarding
days. At this point doctors know that I should try not to get more but do not
know what the “magic” number is or if there even is one. Without a healthy
brain, the human body does not function correctly. Everyone immediately thinks
of Muhammed Ali and his early onset Alzheimer’s. But, in my opinion it has to
be similar to cancer, you can give it a leg up and it will have a better chance
of occurring, but many people who have had no contact with cigarettes or smoke
may still get lung cancer.
