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Head injuries in football can cause unexpected consequences years later

Date:
January 24, 2017
Source:
Michigan Technological University
Summary:
Sport-related concussion, particularly in youth athletes, and the ethical implications of risky sports participation for children, have been the focus of recent research. Investigators report that the longterm effects of repeated head injuries may not surface until years after the injury.
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L. Syd Johnson studies sport-related concussion, particularly in youth athletes, and the ethical implications of risky sports participation for children.

"Players in sports need to be respected as humans, not merely replaceable beings for our entertainment," she says.

What's more, the longterm effects of repeated head injuries may not surface until years after the injury.

An assistant professor of philosophy/humanities and adjunct professor of kinesiology and integrative physiology at Michigan Technological University, Johnson cites Chris Henry, former wide receiver for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals, who died of injuries in a car accident after years of dangerous and illegal behavior. An autopsy revealed that Henry had developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

It is believed that one of the causes of CTE is sub-concussive impacts, the kind of ordinary hits that athletes routinely take in the course of play," Johnson says. "CTE is a condition that can't be diagnosed, doesn't have clear symptoms and can't be treated."

So, post-concussion guidelines don't do anything about CTE, she adds. How many more players are similarly affected is unknown.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Michigan Technological University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Cite This Page:

Michigan Technological University. "Head injuries in football can cause unexpected consequences years later." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 January 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170124125533.htm>.
Michigan Technological University. (2017, January 24). Head injuries in football can cause unexpected consequences years later. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170124125533.htm
Michigan Technological University. "Head injuries in football can cause unexpected consequences years later." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170124125533.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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