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Study: Health Buzz: Repetitive On-Field Hits Linked to Brain Damage

Discussion in 'Football: NFL, College, High School' started by Sajan, Dec 3, 2012.

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  1. Sajan

    Sajan Member

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    A new study adds to evidence that each of those tackles on the football field and checks on the ice rink may lead to something more. Boston University researchers analyzed the brains of 85 donors, most of whom were professional athletes who had experienced repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. Sixty-eight of the brains showed evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is associated with aggression and depression and, as it advances, can lead to dementia, abnormalities in gait and speech, and parkinsonism. Of the 68 brains that showed evidence of the disease, 50 once belonged to football players, including 33 who played in the National Football League.

    http://health.usnews.com/health-new...re-evidence-links-concussions-to-brain-damage

    Sad stuff.
     
    #1 Sajan, Dec 3, 2012
  2. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    Not at all surprising...wonder where this leaves us going forward in contact sports.
     
    #2 MadMax, Dec 3, 2012
  3. sammy

    sammy Member

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    I don't think anything will really change. There is an increased emphasis on teaching proper tackling techniques from a young age. Kids were told to lead with the helmet for decades. That has hopefully changed.

    Also, I suppose that helmets will be getting better and better over time.
     
    #3 sammy, Dec 3, 2012
  4. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost Member

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    Alter the sport and/or equipment to the point where hitting someone with your head is not only less likely, but also less beneficial.
     
    #4 DonnyMost, Dec 3, 2012
  5. Angkor Wat

    Angkor Wat Member

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    Football is going to be two hand touch in the future
     
    #5 Angkor Wat, Dec 3, 2012
  6. ipaman

    ipaman Member

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    no helmets, i'm serious
     
    #6 ipaman, Dec 3, 2012
  7. pirc1

    pirc1 Member

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    I believe technology will advance and you will have better equipment in the future that will absorb a lot more of the impact energy, current equipment are much better than the junk they used in the 1800s.
     
    #7 pirc1, Dec 3, 2012
  8. Summer Song Giver

    Summer Song Giver Member

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    I don't know what kind of equipment is going to combat an object in motion stays in motion. When object A, the player, is traveling 20 mph into object B, another player, also going 20 mph; and they collide objects C and D, their brains, keep sloshing around in the head goo until they hit objects E and F, the inner cranial wall in a violent manner.

    What kind of helmet is going to bring obejects C and D, their brains, to a gradual enough stop to eliminate or minimize truama and still be practical for the players? The helmets can only get so big and soft before it's justs 22 guys on a field dragging their heads along in the dirt.

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gzIxx03ldOA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
     
    #8 Summer Song Giver, Dec 3, 2012
  9. pirc1

    pirc1 Member

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    If let's say they are both wearing a foot thick foam helmet, would the impact be as much as it is with the current helmet? I would think not. The technology would be to translate the properties of a foot thick foam into shape and size of today's helmet.
     
    #9 pirc1, Dec 3, 2012
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