Every year, there are an estimated 1.7 to 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries in the United States. According to the CDC, 10% of these are due to sports and recreational activities. Among American children, sports and similar activities contribute to over 21% of those brain injuries.
With the current football season happening, it’s important to remember the dangers of football and the importance of safety.
Sports like football or any similar sport that involves consistent and aggressive contact with your opponent often have strict rules when it comes to the gear their players have to wear before getting out on the field.
The protective gear consists of a helmet, chin strap, shoulder pads, mouthguards, and lower body padding, with the addition of rib protectors or back plates for specific players. I’ve seen the occasional social media post questioning if players really needed to wear all of this to play, sometimes in the context of a parent wanting to put their child into football.
Many different things could happen should a player go out onto the field without the proper protection.
If a player chooses not to wear a mouthguard, what happens? One of the most severe and most common injuries would be your teeth chipping, cracking, or breaking because of the impact. Not only do mouthguards protect your teeth, but they also protect your lips, cheeks, and tongue; soft tissue injuries could happen if you are not wearing one.
Not wearing one can also cause strain on one’s jaw, and constant clenching of the jaw can lead to TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder), which can cause headaches and difficulty opening and closing your mouth.
The temporomandibular joint is the hinge joint connecting your lower jawbone to your skull in the front of each ear. Any issues that may happen with this joint can cause aching pain when it comes to the mouth and jaw.
Similarly, what happens to players who choose not to wear shoulder pads or don’t replace them when needed? Shoulder pads are designed to withstand and protect the player’s upper body, doing their best to keep any injuries from happening.
They cushion the person’s joints, so injuries like shoulder dislocation or separations don’t happen. Not only that, but they also help with preventing fractures, chest or rib injuries, and limiting bruises and muscle strains.
In my opinion, one of the most important pieces of protection for football is a helmet. While helmets can’t outright stop a concussion from happening, they can do a lot to help prevent them. Helmets work because they spread out the impact of the force and slow down any head deceleration.
Wearing protective gear isn’t the only thing that can be done to keep players safe during the game. Making sure all of the protective gear is replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and is properly fitted to the player’s body can help ensure the equipment provides its intended protection.
Coaches should also be creating a safe environment where players feel comfortable enough to report any injuries or lingering pain and not be pressured to play through it.
As entertaining aggressive football can be, it’s important that we keep the player’s safety in mind during games. No player should feel pressured or ashamed to hide injuries to keep playing.
I believe that sports can’t be enjoyable if players are consistently getting hurt and not being treated properly.