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Michael Hershey
Professor Olding
College Writing II
8 May 2014
Concussions in Sports

Introduction
Athletics are one of Americas favorite hobbies, people are fans of all levels of
competition including high school, college and professional. Billions of dollars are generated
each year from people buying team appeal, game tickets and television packages highlighting
their favorite teams. Sports fans love to see two teams giving all they have to come out
victorious. As a result of the extreme desire to win, games get very physical and athletes will
give whatever it takes to come out on top. Having the drive to win often times means sacrificing
the body for the overall good of the team. Through the longevity of a sports career, more times
than not, this sacrifice results in injuries, either physically or mentally. Each injury may have a
different level of severity ranging from a sprained ankle that will recover in a week or two, or a
severe concussion that might affect someone for the rest of their life. Concussions have become a
serious problem in modern day athletics. These brain injuries can have a major impact on
someones life. During this research paper I will discuss what a concussion is, sports that
commonly cause concussions, why people play through brain injuries and cognitive effects of
concussions later in life if not treated properly.

What is a Concussion?

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Within the last decade, concussions have attracted significant media attention as retired
athletes have come out to share their experiences and long term complications with these brain
injuries. Many people know that a concussion is an injury to the head but most arent very
educated on the science behind it. A concussion is a complex pathophysiological process
affecting the brain induced by a traumatic biomechanical force. It can be caused either by a direct
blow to the head or by an impulsive force to lead to acceleration of the head without direct
trauma to the cranium (What is a Concussion?). In simpler terms, a concussion is a type of
traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall or other injury that
shakes the brain inside the skull. The brain is a soft organ that is surrounded by spinal fluid and
is protected by a hard outer skull. Normally, the spinal fluid around the brain acts like a spongy
layer that keeps the brain from banging into the cranium. If the head or body is hit hard enough,
the brain can collide with the skull and be injured, potentially causing bruising or bleeding of the
brain. (What is a concussion?)
A common misconception when diagnosing a concussion is that someone will go
unconscious if the brain has smashed into the skull. This is very untrue. Some people will have
obvious symptoms of a concussion such as going unconscious, or forgetting what happened right
before the injury. Other people might not have these obvious symptoms. According to The Brain
and Nervous System Health Care Center, it is estimated that 90% of sport related concussions
occur without loss of consciousness. Some more common symptoms to look for when
diagnosing a concussion is nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision and sensitivity to light and
sound. Common cognitive symptoms include not thinking clearly, feeling slowed down, not
being able to concentrate and not being able to remember new information. Concussions dont
only cause physical and cognitive symptoms, but emotional and sleep symptoms as well. Being

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easily upset, angered, sad, nervous or anxious are common emotional indications that someone
has suffered a concussion. Common sleep signs of a concussion include sleeping more than
normal, sleeping less than normal or having difficulty falling asleep. Once a concussion has been
diagnosed, its important to properly treat the injury to cut down on the chances of long term
effects. (What is a concussion?)
Its important to know that after a concussion the brain is more sensitive to damage.
Taking necessary steps towards recovery will prevent any further damage to the brain. After
obtaining a brain injury, the athlete needs to be seen by a physician depending on severity of the
injury. Some individuals may need to go to the hospital where they can be seen by a doctor who
will give neuropsychological tests to diagnose the harshness of the impact. CT scans or MRIs
may also be used to make sure the brain is not bruised or bleeding. After being seen by some
type of medical professional, it is extremely important to allow time to pass in order to get better
and slowly return to regular activities. Rest is the absolute best way to recover from this type of
brain injury. Getting plenty of sleep, avoiding drugs and alcohol, avoiding physically and
mentally demanding activities and proper use of pain medications will also be beneficial in the
recovery process. Studies show that returning to activities too soon will increase the likelihood of
a second concussion by up to three times. This is significant as the repeat injuries may be more
severe than the initial one, and in rare cases could be fatal. Taking adequate time to fully recover
from a concussion will decrease the chances of having long term negative effects of repeat
concussions. (What is a concussion?) (Roya Saffary, MD)

Sports That Commonly Cause Concussions

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Concussions are mostly seen in sports where there is often direct contact between
competitors. A study done on concussions in high school sports shows that 76% of concussions
were caused by contact with another player followed by contact with the playing surface causing
15% of concussions then contact with the playing apparatus being responsible for 8% of the
injuries. Of the player to player contact the most common type of impact were head to head
collisions causing 52.7% of concussions. This was closely followed by collisions between the
head of the injured athlete and a different body part of another player. Impact of the head on the
playing surface after the collision was found to be responsible for 8.4% of concussions (Lindsey
Barton, 1). This same study done in ten different high school sports at discovered that:
-63% of concussions occurred in boys football
-10% in wrestling
-6% in boys and girls soccer
-remaining percentile in boys and girls basketball, baseball,
softball, field hockey and volleyball
Other highlights of the study were that girls soccer has a significantly higher rate of concussion
that boys soccer. It also found that girls high school basketball had a 300% higher rate of
concussion when compared to boys basketball.
High school sports are a cause for many concussions, but the highest rate of concussions
may be seen outside of student-athlete competition. Professional fighting such as boxing and
mixed martial arts cage fighting experience extremely high rates of brain injuries. Fighters are
putting their body in the way of harm on a daily basis. Often times, fighters are taking direct
blows to the head from punches, kicks, elbows and knees. In any given match, a fighter could

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absorb anywhere from 30 to 50 collisions to the head, as a result, many competitors are knocked
out cold from a blow to the head or face. These harsh collisions with the cranium are a perfect
way to obtain a brain injury that could cause long term cognitive effects.

Why Do Athletes Play Through Concussions?

There are several reasons why a player may not have a great deal of concern pertaining to
their head injury. In many cases athletes arent aware of the damage that could be done to their
brain from a hard collision. Often times the detection of concussions are difficult due to the lack
of clear diagnostic factors. As stated earlier, an estimated 90% of concussions occur without the
loss of consciousness. With the energy of a heated competition, athletes have so much adrenaline
running through their body that they may not even notice they have received a concussion.
Symptoms such as a headache or dizziness might not be enough from someone to feel like they
need to be pulled from the game or match. The drive to win and conquer the opponent outweighs
the risk of potentially having a physical or cognitive injury.
In a series of interviews about head injuries with the Associated Press, 23 of 44 NFL
players said they would try to conceal a possible concussion rather than pull themselves out of a
game. Some players have acknowledged that that have already hidden concussions from coaches
and other team officials. According to Roya Saffary, despite an increase in attention on
concussions, the injury often remains undiagnosed. In the past this is due to a culture of
toughness and team sacrifice that is pervasive in sports and is slow to change. However, it
may also be due to underestimation of the seriousness of concussive injuries and failure to
realize that a concussive injury has been sustained (Concussions in Sports). (London Fletcher
1)

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When ESPN asked NFL superstar running back Maurice Jones Drew whether he would
try to play through a concussion or yank himself from a game, he gave a very straight forward
answer, Hide it. He later said that the bottom line is, you have to be able to put food on the
table. No one is going to want or sign a gut who cant stay healthy and on the field. Drew stated
that I know there will be a day when Im going to have trouble walking, I realize that. But this
is what I signed up for. Injures are a part of the game. If you dont want to get hit, you shouldnt
be playing (London Fletcher, 1). Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, co chairman of the NFLs head, neck
and spine committee elaborated on Maurice Jones Drews responses. He was quoted saying,
Why would these guys want to go out? They love playing the game. They dont want to leave
their team. They want to win. I understand that. And thats why we have to be on our toes with
coming up with concussion exams that are hard to beat, so to speak.
In a later interview, ESPN talked with Washington Redskins backup full back, Mike
Sellers. When asked about his concussive history he explained that hes hidden concussions in
the past and would highly doubt that any player would be willing to take himself out of the
game. He was quoted saying, You want to continue to play. Youre a competitor. Youre not
going to tell on yourself. There have been times Ive been dinged and the hit took my helmet off.
Id snatch my helmet and get back on the field. A lot of guys wouldnt say anything because a lot
of the guys wouldnt thinking anything during the game, until afterward, when they have a
headache or cant remember certain things. It appears that this is true with several players,
Saints lineman Zach Strief said, We all grew up with, Hey get back in there. You (only) got
your bell rung. While that is changing now, I think its going to take some time for the mindset
to change. (London Fletcher 1)

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Later Life Cognitive Effects

Concussions could produce varying degrees of lifelong changes in brain function, which
may be delayed in onset. These changes vary in degree from slight headaches to complicated
neurological setbacks. Traumatic brain injury has been identified as a potential risk factor for the
early development of neurodegenerative dementing disorders, including Alzheimers disease,
Parkinsons syndrome, and other psychiatric disorders such as clinical depression. Alzheimers is
the most common form of dementia, which is a general term for memory loss and other
intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily activities. According to (What is
Alzheimers), Alzheimers disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. This disease isnt a
normal part of aging and worsens over time. Alzheimers disease degenerates and kills brain
cells, eventually destroying memory and other important functions. (What is Alzheimers?)
(Guskiewicz, Kevin)
According to Kevin Giskiewiscz in his scholarly article Association Between Recurrent
Concussion & Late-Life Cognitive Impairment in Retired Professional Football Players, studies
found that a history of concussions, especially recurrent concussion, is a large risk factor for a
loss of late life memory and development of Alzheimers disease. This same study shows that
players with three or more concussions are three times more likely to have significant memory
loss when compared to the average American male. The study examined a diverse group of
retired NFL football players including recent retirees and those who have played before World
War two. Each participant in the study played a minimum of two seasons of professional
football. They studied the group using two self-report questionnaires, a general health survey and
a follow up instrument specifically targeting cognitive decline. The questionnaire consisted of a
variety of questions about musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and neurological conditions that these

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players experienced both during their playing career and after. The average age of the
participants was 53.8 years, with an average playing career of 6.6 years. The total career of the
player including high school, college, and professional was an average of 15.1 years. About 60%
of participants had at least one concussion, while 24% had three or more concussions. Of the
retired players having a concussion, more than one half has memory loss. Of the retired football
players, 17.6% think that their concussion had a permanent effect on their thinking and memory
skills as they have gotten older. (Guskiewicz, Kevin)
Other players have experienced more diverse effects of their concussions. These head
injuries have been linked to disorientation, memory loss, and depression that can lead to drug use
and in the case of former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson, even suicide. An autopsy
done on former NFL linebacker Jovan Belcher who fatally shot his 22 year old girlfriend and
later killed himself found signs of chronic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease found
in athletes and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma. Belcher shot and killed his
girlfriend Kasandra Perkins in the couples home while his mother was caring for his child in the
other room. He then fled the residence to his teams training facility where he shot himself in the
head in front of the team coach and general manager. Signs of this degenerative brain disease
were also found in former professional football player, Junior Seau, who committed suicide.
Repeated head trauma can cause some players to become angry and lose control of their
impulses. (NFL Player who killed girlfriend in murder-suicide had brain damage)(Guskiewicz,
Kevin)

Conclusion

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Concussions can have a very serious impact on someones life. With proper treatment and
diagnosis these common brain injuries can be limited in severity and longevity of cognitive
processing damage. Players who neglect their concussion due to competitiveness, may see more
adverse effects of the brain. Effects such as depression, memory loss, anger, Alzheimers and
Parkinsons may be seen as a result of the brain injury. Even more serious conditions such as
suicidal thoughts or murderous tenacities may be experienced. Concussions will be continuously
studied to help educate, prevent and treat this injury. With new knowledge, doctors may be able
to prevent actions such as murder or suicide from happening as a result of this traumatic brain
injury.

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Work Cited
Saffary, Roya, Lawrence S. Chin, and Robert C. Cantu. "Concussions in Sports." (2011).
Guskiewicz, Kevin M., et al. "Association between recurrent concussion and late-life cognitive
impairment in retired professional football players."Neurosurgery 57.4 (2005): 719-726
What is a concussion. Brain and Nervous System Health Center. WebMD, 2005. Web. 27 April
2015
What is Alzheimers?. Alz.org. Alzheimers association, 2015. Web. 27 April 2015
Straus, Lindsey, Concussions in High School Sport: Study Shed New Light on Causes,
Smptoms, and Management. Momstream, Momsteam.com, 2 December 2010. Web. 28 April
2015
Fletcher, London, Players Still Willing to Hide Head Injuries. Espn. Espn.com, 26 December
2011. Web. 28 April 2015
NFL player Who Killed Girlfriend in Murder-Suicide Had Brain Damage. Crimesider. CBS
news, 30 September 2014. Web. 29 April 2015