Contact sports and concussions go hand in hand. So why aren’t helmets compulsory for all contact players?
Concussions are prevalent in all contact sports fields. Rugby, hockey, and football players come together. They compete against each other with tackles and scrambles. In some games, hard sticks, too. Players run around to get to the ball, to pass it on, and to score that try or goal. Suppose your son gets hurt and suffers a concussion because he was not wearing preventative gear. Don’t you wish that headgear was mandatory?
Rugby versus Hockey, my son’s concussion risk
In the first year of my 14-year-old son’s high school career, he chose to play rugby. Rugby is very popular at his school and more so in the province that we live in, Western Cape, South Africa. How so many teenagers play these sports without headgear and mouthguards baffles me. Because it doesn’t look cool, or the parents, coaches, and schools don’t enforce it?
Two months into the winter season, my son told me: “Mom, I’ve quit Rugby, and I signed up for Hockey!” I thought that was fantastic news!!! In my opinion, Rugby is too violent and dangerous anyway.
My boy embarks on his new sports adventure. Saturday morning, 29th July, a cloudy and rainy day. I get up early and drive to Paarl, one hour away from home. It is a beautiful drive surrounded by Winelands and epic mountain views. I arrived at 08:20 with a coffee mug. I’m excited to watch my son’s first Hockey match. The next moment, my excitement fades away. An overwhelming feeling of shock and horror replaces it as my son is with the paramedics. The heavy hockey ball hit him hard in the mouth. At the site of impact, he fell to the floor and hit his head, too. I couldn’t believe it.
The next moment, we find ourselves at the emergency unit. My son is lying there, and I’m scared because I don’t know the outcome of the hit and the fall. A confident and young Dr. takes care of him and advises that Oliver has a CAT scan (CT) done to rule out structural damage. CT scan results reveal a normal brain and no facial bone fractures. I’m relieved, but I know he’s not free from a concussion, which a scan cannot detect.
The science behind concussions: What happens to the brain during a head injury?
The brain is one of the body’s largest and most delicate organs. It is well-shielded inside the skull. The brain consists of soft fatty tissue. Three layers of membranes known as the meninges surround the brain. The meninges are like spongy tissue filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF acts as a cushion for the brain and spinal cord.
A sudden shake can make the delicate brain shift and bump against the rigid skull. The tissue of the brain is not smooth. It comprises billions of cells known as neurons. Neurons communicate through their long axons via electrical and chemical signals. They control our bodies. The long and thin structure of neurons makes them very fragile. On impact, neurons can stretch and even tear. That can disrupt their ability to communicate.
A concussion combines all these events and is a complex brain injury. It affects the functional ability of the brain. It is an invisible brain illness, unlike a broken arm supported by a cast for everyone to see.
Contact sports and concussion sufferers often don’t look sick or injured. But could have severe underlying conditions. Thus, as an invisible illness that affects brain health, a concussion is a serious matter.
Possible long-term effects of a concussion include epilepsy, depression, and anxiety. After repeated concussions, chronic traumatic brain disease can develop, leading to dementia, movement disorders, personality change, and affected emotional stability.
Post-concussion syndrome is so prevalent that endless support groups are available on social media.
Raising awareness: educating coaches, parents and players about contact sports and concussion prevention
Staggering statistics for concussions are a reality, as explained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A 5 year-long study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine investigated the importance of protective equipment—mouthguards and helmets in reducing the risk of contact sports and concussions. Three thousand three hundred thirty players, ages 11-18, were recruited between 2014-2018. The investigators of the study said:
“Players who wore a mouthguard had a 28%–35% lower concussion rate and 56%–57% lower concussion odds than non-wearers […] The results from this study support a mandate of mouthguard use in youth ice hockey associations to promote concussion prevention and player safety.”
After my son’s incident on the hockey pitch, the coach sent an email to all the parents. It was fascinating to hear that most players “had myriad excuses” for not wearing a mouthguard. “I don’t have one; the dog chewed my last one; it doesn’t fit now that I have braces. I left mine at home; it is in my parent’s car.”
Schools must know the safety issues and research studies around contact sports and concussions and develop policies to keep players safe.
Balancing the love for dangerous contact sports with safety concerns around concussions should be possible.
It should be a rule!