Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death from sports injuries. A traumatic brain injury is defined as a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Some people may think of a hit to the head as simply “getting your bell rung” and that is the problem with brain injuries. Many people don’t understand the terrible effects of a brain injury, due to not being able to physically see it. Brain injuries in sports occurs all around the world and can affect anyone, however if we push for more answers, we can find better ways to prevent them and keep our brains healthy.
Brain injuries can happen anywhere, at anytime, but the highest rate of brain injury occurs in sports. Some of the greatest incidences of brain injuries are in football, namely the NFL. After a player has experienced brain damage, they are usually supposed to go back to playing after 4-6 weeks, enough time for their brains to recover and rest. However, the NFL has not made any rules regarding the amount of time the player should stay out of the games. The NFL must make a strict concussion policy to make sure their players get the rest they need and stay as healthy as possible. Multiple concussions, especially right after one another, could result in long-lasting brain damage, and could cause a lower age of death.
Many professional football players retire from football because of too many brain injuries, and the risk of experiencing even more. Raising awareness about this issue with hopefully decrease the occurrence of brain injuries, especially in football. Help us get our goal amount of signatures so we can send this petition to the NFL and hopefully change their health policies and the rate of concussions in professional football!
