Football is a deeply-rooted American tradition that brings about a sense of community and excitement. However, the sport also brings about a great potential for head injuries, particularly among high school students. Concussions are unfortunately very prominent in boys’ high school football, and the consequences of getting one can be debilitating. Here, we will explore why concussions are so prevalent in high school football, the long-term effects, and what preventative measures can be taken.
What Is a Concussion?
In understanding the prevalence of concussions in high school football, it is first important to understand what a concussion is. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that is caused by a bump or blow to the head or body that results in the brain moving back and forth rapidly. While concussions are only considered a “mild” brain injury, their impact can still be very damaging. Some symptoms commonly experienced by those who have suffered a concussion include:
- Headache
- Blurry vision
- Nausea
- Slurred speech
- Memory
- Drowsiness
- Difficult sleeping
- Ringing in the ears
- Sensitivity to light
- Confusion
Concussion Statistics
According to a study conducted by The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC, boys’ football had the highest concussion rate amongst high school sports from 2005-2022. The study showed that there were an average of 11.2 concussions per 10,000 athletic exposures, which is a higher rate than both collegiate and professional football. The second highest concussion rate in high school sports was girls’ soccer, followed by girls’ basketball.
Heightened Vulnerability
Although concussions are a possibility in practically every high school sport, there are a few reasons why they are particularly prominent in high school football. The first reason why high school football players are at a higher risk for concussions is due to the physical nature of the sport. The rules of football require players to tackle and block their opponents in order to either protect the ball or win it from their opponent. If you watch a football game, you will see that players are constantly ramming into each other and are usually on the ground after each play. When the players are tackling each other, they often butt heads or smash their head into the ground, both of which increases the chance of suffering a concussion.
The next element of heightened vulnerability of concussions in boys’ high school football is that these young players are not yet fully physically developed, making them far more susceptible to injury. Additionally, high school players are usually smaller and less muscular than those at the collegiate and professional level. The last element that makes high school football players more vulnerable to suffering a concussion is lower skill levels. Young football players may practice improper tackling techniques and lack adequate coordination, which disproportionately puts them at risk.
Underreporting
Despite the prominence of concussions reported in high school football, there are a high number of concussions that go unreported as well. This can be particularly detrimental in that concussions may go untreated, which can result in further injury and re-injury. Some common reasons that concussions are commonly underreported in high school football is that the players didn’t think it was that serious, they did not want to compromise playing time, or they did not want to be perceived as weak by their teammates.
“Return-to-Play” Protocol
All 50 U.S. states have a “return-to-play” law that requires athletes to receive written clearance from a licensed medical professional before returning to play their sport. A form must be accurately filled out and returned to the school district, athletic trainer, or personnel responsible for compliance, to ensure that the player is healthy and ready to play.
Concussion Prevention
While concussions are still somewhat inevitable in football, there are some proactive measures that can be taken in order to help prevent them occurring. First, you want to ensure that you are using proper tackling techniques that aim to protect your head when going up against your opponent. Next, you will want to make sure that you are wearing a helmet that fits your head well, as an ill-fitting helmet will not protect you. Lastly, schools need to ensure that there is baseline testing for all athletes so that a comparison can be made between pre and post-concussion cognition levels.