A new study has found that high school football players are twice as likely to suffer a concussion as college players. The study, which was funded by the NFL and conducted by the Institute of Medicine, found that in the majority of cases, concussion symptoms disappeared within two weeks, but in other cases, the symptoms lasted weeks, months, or even years.
The study found that high school football players suffered 11.2 concussions for every 10,000 practices and games, while among college players, the number of concussions stood at only 6.3. However, the authors of the study admitted that these estimates are conservative since many head injuries go unreported.
Even with a helmet that surpasses safety standards, football players may still have a 95 percent chance of suffering a concussion, according to a FRONTLINE report. While helmets are effective at reducing the likelihood of skull fractures, there is limited evidence that they can effectively protect a player against a traumatic brain injury.
In spite of the above findings, the study did not clarify whether repeated head injuries can result in long-term consequences like memory loss, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and the neurodegenerative condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). While the report did not draw any evidence-based conclusions about this link, other studies have suggested a more definitive connection. Boston University researchers led by Dr. Ann McKee, for example, have discovered CTE in the brains of numerous deceased football players, including two men as young as 18 and 21 years old.
Was Your Sports Injury Caused by Another’s Negligence?
While most Americans are aware of the connection between contact sports and brain injury, there still persists a culture in which players feel the need to sacrifice their own health in order not to let down their team. If you or your son or daughter has sustained a concussion or other serious brain injury while playing a contact sport that was worsened by the intentional actions or negligence of other players, coaches or another party, you may be able to pursue compensation. Talk to a South Carolina personal injury attorney at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers about your potential case, including who may be held liable, how much your case may be worth, and what types of damages you can be compensated for. We have more than 40 years of personal injury experience and have helped thousands of satisfied clients get the money they need – FAST.
Call us at 888-612-7001 as soon as possible to request your free consultation. We serve clients throughout South Carolina from office locations in Charleston, Columbia, Moncks Corner, Greenville, Walterboro, Orangeburg, Myrtle Beach, Anderson, Spartanburg, and Florence (Florence location by appointment only).