Thesis on "High School Head and Spinal Cord Injuries"

Thesis 3 pages (1067 words) Sources: 2 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Head and Spinal Cord Injury

Serious head, spinal, and neurological injuries

"Be a man!" "Tough it out" When an athlete is injured, many coaches use these types of phrases to encourage their students to push themselves through pain. But recently, the actress Natasha Richardson died of what seemed to be a mild head injury she sustained after skiing (Hitti 2009). The actress fell down on a 'bunny slope,' and talked and laughed about her mishap afterwards. Within, she was in a coma, and soon died from bleeding on the brain. Aggressive monitoring and treatment of head injuries is essential to prevent such tragedies occurring on the playing fields of youth sports, where such injuries are all too common, particularly in contact-heavy sports like football, hockey, and soccer.

It is essential that coaches, school staff, and parents do not dismiss the signs of concussion or other serious head trauma. Unfortunately, the symptoms of headaches and dizziness, mood swings, and general lack of mental focus are easy to dismiss unless adults and teammates are vigilant (O'Brien 2009). Also, schools must abandon the idea that 'getting on with it' and 'pushing past the pain' are something to be cheered on.

Given the increased concern about head injuries in young athletes and the lasting trauma that can occur: "High school athletes in Massachusetts are currently required to have their doctor's or a trainer's permission before resuming activity in contact sports after having a concussion. Some medical professionals recommend staying out of any sports activity for at least a week after a concussion or head injury" to avoid repeat trauma (Safety, 2009, Brain and spinal cord.org). "There is an increased risk of suffering subsequent concussions after a first concussion" (Goodlett & Lemack 2009). Repeated blows to the head have been linked to dementia in professional boxers and football players.

Prevention

Prevention, of course, is the best cure. In football, players should be discouraged from 'head butting' or battering other players with their heads. Remember: the helmet is a protective device, not an implement to use against opponents. Players under age ten in soccer should not use their heads at all, and head contact should be limited for all ages. Officials can play an important role in enforcing rules: zero tolerance for checking from behind or head checks in hockey and lacrosse, for example. In baseball, "The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests reduced-impact safety baseballs for young players, the elimination of the on-deck circle, and placing screens to protect dugouts and benches from errant balls or bats" (O'Brien 2009).

Players as well as coaches should all be educated in an age-appropriate fashion to look doe the signs of concussion or more serious trauma in their friends -- education sessions should be conducted at the beginning of the season, through trained sports professional athletic trainers or medical professionals, not through a cursory handout. Video or hands-on mandated safety courses may be necessary. Players may be able to spot that 'something is not right' in their friends before an adult. And players should be able to self-monitor as best as they can, after a hit. However, this is no panacea, given that symptoms may be delayed, or masked by the adrenaline… READ MORE

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