Athletic Concussions (2)

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/non-traditional-outlook-health-in-sports

Another way to look at concussions and other head injuries due to sports is the entertainment our society gets in watching dangerous, contact sports. And to be honest, those professional NFL/NHL athletes get the best equipment while kids following their heroes from youth leagues up to high school get "buckets that wouldn't be fit to protect your head from a single smack". This is why equipment isn't doing much to protect them from head injuries. However, because people have some strange mentality that when we watch sports, everything is okay when in reality, these athletes are pushing through a lot of pain during their games for our entertainment. Therefore nothing will really get fixed until we understand that small hits during a game can actually lead to long-term repercussions.

http://www.dotcult.com/hockey-concussion

Ryan Jones believes that the number of concussions is actually increasing because of the changes in the rules of hockey. Rules such as the trapezoid rule and the obstruction penalty has actually changed the way athletes play and have made it more dangerous for them. Jones also points out that the change in equipment might have an effect on why hockey has become more dangerous. While hockey pads used to be soft, now athletes wear hard plastic pads that are honestly more of a weapon than protection.

Athletic Concussions

http://www.themanitoban.com/articles/48388

There have been an increasing number of concussion reports in youth sports such as football and hockey, arousing more concern on how to protect children from concussions because very often the symptoms are subtle. Paediatric radiologist Dr. Martin Bunge says that the rules should be slightly altered for youth leagues. So for hockey there shouldn't be any checking or hitting until at least age 15 or 16. Thereby minimizing risks for younger athletes of getting concussions. On the other hand hockey coach Brian Foreman argues that hitting is a big part of the sport strategically and physically. Thefore it's up to the coaches to teach responsible hitting to the players at a young age so that they minimize their potential for injury over the years.

http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/mouth-guards-concussions-controversy-continues
Do mouth guards prevent concussions? The one piece of equipment that appears to be the sole protection from concussions in athletics is the mouth guard. Studies show that symptoms of a concussion are shown less in athletes that wear mouth guards, but that doesn't mean mouth guards directly prevent concussions. Columnist Brooke de Lench and other moms of athletes would love to see solid evidence that mouth guards prevent concussions, but for now, all they can really do is advocate for stricter enforcement of existing rules on safety, and wait until that evidence comes.