Playing Football Among Leading Causes of Concussion

Introduction

Concussions are a major problem among football players at both the amateur and professional level. According to Prevacus, Inc., football causes 47.1 percent of reported concussions among high school athletes, dwarfing the percentages reported by the other sports. It also has the highest concussion rate, with 6.4 of them reported per 10,000 athletic incidents.

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Other injuries to the head and neck are surely just as common if not more so. It is also important to note that getting older doesn't make this danger go away. In fact, NFL players often suffer from the same types of damage.

The problem with concussions in sports is compounded by the fact that repeated head injuries are more likely to cause lasting damage when the brain isn't given sufficient time to heal between incidents. Unfortunately, there is often heavy pressure to get back on the field too soon. Players should adamantly resist this pressure.

Fortunately, many of the side effects sustained from a concussion can be alleviated through upper cervical chiropractic treatments.

Uncorrected misalignments of the upper neck can result in headaches, migraines, dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, and mental fogginess. Upper cervical chiropractic treatments can reestablish proper communication within the central nervous system, alleviating the issues endured from a concussion.

"Anyone who plays contact football needs to be well aware of these dangers and insist on safe practices. No matter how exciting the idea of playing may be at the time, a player won't think it was so fun if they're disabled by the time they're 40. It is well worth it to be cautious now and seek chiropractic care following a concussion," said Dr. Robert Clarke, DC of Health First Chiropractic.

Dr. Clarke also noted that football isn't the only source of sports-related concussions or head and neck injuries. Being beaned by baseballs, colliding while playing hockey, and even taking a soccer ball to the head can bring on concussions and related problems.

Although, wearing protective gear is important for everyone, even those who don't play sports. Auto accidents come in second to sports as a cause of these types of damage. Good driving habits, the use of seatbelts, and using cars with modern safety features are all ways to lower the risk of accidents and accident-related injuries.

Dr. Robert Clark, DC is the chiropractor of Health First Chiropractic. He graduated cum laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic and was board certified in 2010. The clinic focuses on upper cervical adjustments to reduce pain and help treat other conditions.

Related Information

• Study: Face Masks Linked to More Severe Impacts in NFL Players: Facemasks accounted for over half of the top 10% of head impacts experienced by players in the study, highlighting the importance of prioritizing new helmet designs.
• How the NFL Came to Shape the Concussion Issue That Plagued It: Concussion has dogged the NFL since the 1990s however in recent years the league has repositioned itself as a leader in concussion prevention and research.
• Head Injury and Hypertension in Former NFL Players: For NFL football players, concussion and hypertension go together, as study reveals a link between head injury and high blood pressure in retired players.
• NFL Athletes and Stem Cell Treatments: Some National Football League players seek unproven stem cell therapies to help accelerate recovery from injury.
• Lower Jersey Numbers Make U.S. Football Players Appear Thinner: Images of players in jerseys numbered from 10 to 19 look thinner than those in jerseys numbered from 80 to 89, even when body sizes were the same.
• Brain Injuries to Teen Athletes in High Schools: Study of concussions has led to the awareness that they are indeed traumatic brain injuries.

Attribution/Source(s):
This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Dr. Robert Clark, DC - Health First Chiropractic, and published on 2017/03/05 (Edit Update: 2024/09/12), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Dr. Robert Clark, DC - Health First Chiropractic can be contacted at hfchiropracticmarysville.com. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.