Football Injuries Research Paper

In the early 1900s, football was a brutal sport that resulted in serious or life threatening injuries. There were no football pads or helmets to protect the players from these injuries. Football was mainly a college sport at this time. Due to the concern of the young players, a magazine in 1904 reported that were 18 deaths and 159 serious injuries throughout different prep schools. Football season even got the name "death harvest". Considering most of the deaths were young college students playing, many parents wanted the sport to be banned. Since there was no protective gear, it was a full contact sport. Due to this, one bad hit could end with internal injuries or worse. There are reports of a broken spinal cord, broken arms, broken collar bones, and brain injuries. Before modern medicine, these injuries were fatal. Finding the proper protective wear would be easier than waiting for doctors to …show more content…
They were originally made of leather and wool. The 1960s was a big year for the shoulder pads. They began to make them with plastic materials. The new design went down to cover the upper torso, the ribs, and upper chest. In the 1990s shoulder pads became bulky and protect more efficiently. Modern day shoulder pads protect the chest, shoulders, and the top of the spine. They absorb as much as the hit possible from other players. Thin, soft leather helmets did not protect much. The plastic design was originally made in the 40s, the chin strap was also added, and it was a requirement to wear them. There were still injuries so there was an addition of internal padding. Throughout the years thicker pads were added to accommodate the player's. These air filled interior pockets, protect from serious concussions. Modern helmets have a double bar to protect the face. These bars prevent the possibility of someones hands from reaching into the helmet. The modern chin straps are to keep the helmets in