"lie, deny and hope they die"

[Patler]

A study determined that the sports activity having the highest risk for serious injury among youth under age 16 was recreational bicycle riding, followed by skateboarding and rollerblading. After that came the organized sports.

[Old School]

My granddaughter was into gymnastics in grade school. Now in her 20's, her knees are already reminding her.

[Upnorth]

I believe TMQ once showed stats that cheerleading was the worst organised sport for concussion and long term injury.

[mraynrand]

I believe TMQ once showed stats that cheerleading was the worst organised sport for concussion and long term injury.

I sprained my coccyx carrying out a difficult maneuver with a cheerleader once.

[Patler]

Two of my kids had ACL tears in soccer and gymnastics, with a lot of years/seasons played by all of them. We had no serious injuries in football (only 5 seasons collectively) or basketball (only 3 seasons). Also no injures of significance with a lot of seasons played in baseball, track and cross-country. In years and years and years worth of hockey, from 5 years old through Juniors and college, with a couple still playing as adults, we have had one concussion, a broken collarbone, a broken wrist, numerous thumb injuries, a sprained knee and three teeth lost (that's those damn half-shields!)

[Zool]

Near the end of the documentary is when they get in to what might be the actual issue in football. If the Dr's are correct the smaller repetitive hits to the head are causing the long term brain issues like dementia and aggression. I watched it last week and it took me back a bit. If players are suffering 10-12 minor concussions per game it's going to be huge.

[MadtownPacker]

The problem with football at almost all levels is the large percentage of players not tackling properly. Instead everyone is trying to go for the highlight reel hits. Blame ESPN for spotlighting shit like "Jacked Up" or anything that glorifies hard hits over solid play. It's kinda like how we dog on Hawk for not being flashy IMO.

[pbmax]

Yet studies have reported that in HS basketball the frequency of concussions is also high (somewhere around 20/100,000 participants), albeit 1/3 that of HS football. Football is the leader (64/100k), but hockey (54/100k - no surprise), lacrosse (40/100k), soccer (33/100k girls, 19/100k boys) and wrestling (22/100k) also carry significant risk. If you want to minimize the risk, you have to look at track & field (2/100k), swimming/diving (1/100k) and maybe baseball (5/100k).

A point that has always been curious to me, why do these studies never mention boxing? I know it's not a high school sport, so specific studies of HS sports will not mention it, but in discussing youth sports it should come up.

Boxing has already gone through this and that is why there are independent commissions (theoretically) in the States to regulate boxing matches and medical standards while most other sports are regulated on a more ad hoc basis. It is also why there are no longer (that I am aware of) any HS or college boxing teams. I think the Service academies are among the few exceptions.

One of the physicians tasked by the NFL to investigate mild-traumatic brain injuries (he was on the committee prior to its reorg) still maintains that there is not a conclusive and documented link between football related concussions and CTE. This lack of direct evidence was reaffirmed by a study released last year. (Going to have to hunt for the link).

However, the link between brain injuries and later cognitive impairment from boxing has been established clinically. Football might be headed in that direction, but there is a significant amount of research to be done.

[pbmax]

Near the end of the documentary is when they get in to what might be the actual issue in football. If the Dr's are correct the smaller repetitive hits to the head are causing the long term brain issues like dementia and aggression. I watched it last week and it took me back a bit. If players are suffering 10-12 minor concussions per game it's going to be huge.

This is the one that is going to be hard to resolve. If repeated sub-consussive hits are one of the culprits, then line play would have to change dramatically and perhaps helmets.

However, there are a lot of factors that could still come into play. If PEDs exacerbate this situation, that is one avenue to attack it. An other might be better diagnosis of an initial concussion; perhaps the sub-cussive hits do the damage but only in conjunction with a prior concussive injury.

[pbmax]

Two of my kids had ACL tears in soccer and gymnastics, with a lot of years/seasons played by all of them. We had no serious injuries in football (only 5 seasons collectively) or basketball (only 3 seasons). Also no injures of significance with a lot of seasons played in baseball, track and cross-country. In years and years and years worth of hockey, from 5 years old through Juniors and college, with a couple still playing as adults, we have had one concussion, a broken collarbone, a broken wrist, numerous thumb injuries, a sprained knee and three teeth lost (that's those damn half-shields!)

Yes, I would be surprised if football has a significantly higher incidence of ACL tears than soccer or basketball.

[Patler]

Boxing has already gone through this and that is why there are independent commissions (theoretically) in the States to regulate boxing matches and medical standards while most other sports are regulated on a more ad hoc basis. It is also why there are no longer (that I am aware of) any HS or college boxing teams. I think the Service academies are among the few exceptions.

One of the physicians tasked by the NFL to investigate mild-traumatic brain injuries (he was on the committee prior to its reorg) still maintains that there is not a conclusive and documented link between football related concussions and CTE. This lack of direct evidence was reaffirmed by a study released last year. (Going to have to hunt for the link).

However, the link between brain injuries and later cognitive impairment from boxing has been established clinically. Football might be headed in that direction, but there is a significant amount of research to be done.

All that is true, I know. But there is great concern over the incidental, unintended concussions in all these other sports, and yet we allow a sport in which the ultimate goal is to cause a concussion.

If we need to have extensive litigation and make changes in the way the game is played to protect against concussions in football, shouldn't we flat out prohibit boxing? If a football player is prohibited from tackling high, or from tackling in a certain way because it might cause a concussion, shouldn't we outlaw hits to the head in boxing, which are specifically intended to cause a concussion?

[pbmax]

All that is true, I know. But there is great concern over the incidental, unintended concussions in all these other sports, and yet we allow a sport in which the ultimate goal is to cause a concussion.

If we need to have extensive litigation and make changes in the way the game is played to protect against concussions in football, shouldn't we flat out prohibit boxing? If a football player is prohibited from tackling high, or from tackling in a certain way because it might cause a concussion, shouldn't we outlaw hits to the head in boxing, which are specifically intended to cause a concussion?

Numbers game? Fewer participants, no kids, significant amount of money for certain geographic locations: Vegas and Atlantic City. Some states have made it very difficult to stage a match though I'm not sure whether any have banned it.

[Patler]

Numbers game? Fewer participants, no kids, significant amount of money for certain geographic locations: Vegas and Atlantic City. Some states have made it very difficult to stage a match though I'm not sure whether any have banned it.

Could be, but I think teenage boxing is still popular in some areas. A lot of HS age kids participate at levels leading up to Golden Gloves tournaments, which I believe is 16+. Kids as young as 10 participate in Silver Gloves competitions.

Last time I checked, Notre Dame still had the Bengal Bouts tournament, which is a campus-wide boxing tournament that lasts from November to March. It is open to boys of all skill levels and starts with training and sparring session before the actual tournament. At one time it was hugely popular. Early bouts were often ugly, when an experienced boxer met a nonathletic kid trying to gain fame. I wonder how much longer they will continue it?

Yes, they have (or had?) a similar women's boxing tournament, too.

[CaptainKickass]

When the hell are they gonna make a documentary about the brain problems suffered by football FANS including everything from stress and high blood pressure to straight up heart attacks and brain aneurysms as a result of over-analyzing, discussing, interacting, arguing, watching, and most importantly posting on football forums like this one? Hmm?

(I'm looking at YOU Goodell!! You don't care about the SAFETY of the fans do you?!!)

[MadtownPacker]

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