Detrimental Effects Of Concussion Essay

Athletes are at an inherent risk for sustaining concussions. However, it is proven that coaches, the first line of treatment, are unlikely to evaluate an athlete correctly. According to the CDC’s Head’s Up Initiate for Educating Coaches, 160 out of 340 surveyed coaches said that they were unsure of how to evaluate a concussion. Leaving a concussion undiagnosed or undiscovered is a recipe for disaster. The article History and Post-Concussion Neurocognitive Performance and Symptoms in College Athletes, published by the Journal of Athletic Training, has data to support the statement that concussions are detrimental to mental health. 57% of multiple-concussion athletes show considerable declines in verbal memory and reaction timing. Many studies, such as the Zurich 2012 Consensus Statement, claim that concussed athletes may incur future problems such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, dementia, …show more content…
For example, the Journal of Athletic Training claims that sustaining a first concussion makes an individual 3 to 6 times more likely to have a second concussion. The Center for Disease Control has made it a priority that concussion information is widespread by focusing on coach competency. Detrimental effects of concussions have been well documented in scientific literature for decades. However, studies can differ in their approach to concussion diagnosis and prevention, like the discussion of proper safety equipment and sport rules. For the purpose of this particular study, mild traumatic brain injury refers to the most common of concussions and the Zurich paper will refer to the most widely accepted, recent research article. In addition, the key word adolescent includes thirteen to twenty year olds, the years of development. If an adolescent with a developing brain sustains a concussion, then brain function will likely be altered and may lead to significant long-term