Abstract Focusing on the common yet dangerous injury regularly recieved in sporting matches - concussions. This paper describes the causes, treatment, symptoms, and the medical side of sports. It also looks at the sports causing the injuries, and how the sport causes them.
From the Paper "Head injuries are serious business. Anytime you are dealing with the brain, you want to take everything about the injury seriously and prepare for the worst. A concussion is defined as an injury to the brain, often resulting from a blow to the head, which can cause temporary disorientation, memory loss, or unconsciousness. These are also known as "closed head injuries"."
Abstract This paper explains a variety of evaluation techniques, explanations and prescribed resting times for athletic head injuries. The author points out that injuries to the head and neck are particularly harmful because they are largely incapable of regeneration; therefore, trainers must be able to see the signs and symptoms and to know the necessary response. The paper states that athletic trainers cannot stop an injury from happening but can prepare by having an organizational structure for when an injury occurs. Includes tables and an "Evaluation Scheme for Head Injuries". Endnotes.
From the Paper "In order to understand how to take care of a concussion we must understand and agree as to what exactly is a concussion. A working definition has been proposed by the Committee of Head Injury Nomenclature of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. A concussion, as defined by the committee, is ?a clinical syndrome characterized by immediate and transient post-traumatic impairment of neural functions, such as alterations of consciousness, disturbance of vision, equilibrium, etc., due to brain stem involvement.?This can simply be interpreted as any traumatically induced alteration in mental status. Recent studies have suggested that the effects of a concussion can be cumulative. Evidence also has came about that a athlete suffering an initial cerebral concussion is four times more likely to suffer another concussion than a person who has never had one."
Abstract The paper reveals the serious health issues common to retired NFL players that include long-term medical problems from repeated cerebral concussions, cognitive impairment and football-related dementia. The paper discusses how retirement benefits available to NFL retirees pale in comparison to those available to retirees in other professional sports. The paper discusses how NFL retirees are therefore asking for a system of retirement benefits that appropriately accounts for the physical abuse entailed by their careers, and the long-term medical consequences that are direct functions of having contributed to making the NFL the success it has become.
Outline:
Introduction - Statement of the Issues
Long-Term Medical Problems, Cognitive Impairment and Football-Related Dementia
Conclusion
From the Paper "Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Fame member Earl Campbell was a premier running back in the 1970s. In an ear when 300-lb linemen and sub 4.5-second forty yard times for skill position players where both a novelty rather than the norm, Campbell, at 5-11, 240+ lbs with 4.6 speed, was the most formidable big back in the game. Today, at an age where many of his fans are either at the peaks of their professional careers or enjoying very active retirements, Earl Campbell must rely on his wheelchair because he cannot walk more than a few feet without assistance."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed description of the ways that acute head trauma affects the brain. Using the author's personal experience with a head trauma several factors of the injury are related and explained in conjunction with the brain itself. Issues such as causes of head injuries and side effects are discussed.
From the Paper "The treatment and care of a person with a head injury will vary depending on the severity of the injury and the complications that are encountered with it. As in the case of the author, the stitches were the most immediate need, however there were several side affects such as extreme fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. The first course of action is to assess vital signs and be sure that the person is stabilized. Watching for signs of coma, internal bleeding and other problems is also part of the initial assessment."
Tags:Concussion, MRIs, CAT, scan, National, Institute, of, Health, Traumatic, Coma, Data, Bank
From the Paper "Concussion is the most common head injury in sports. Its hallmarks are confusion and amnesia. When an object such as a pitched baseball imparts its kinetic energy to a person's skull, considerable pathologic consequences may ensue. Shearing strains produce hemorrhage and destroy neurons. At present, there are several schemes available for the classification of concussions. These may provide guidelines for injury management. Although the symptoms of concussion are usually self-limited, a small number of patients develop postconcussion syndrome.
Although concussions are extremely common, they are potentially dangerous. Indeed, head injuries are the leading cause of death among people under 24 years of age (Fick, 1995, pp. 53-60). Of all the mild head injuries though, sports-related..."
Abstract The paper lists eight questions that evaluate a case of head injury to a child, which could help the emergency response team assess whether the patient is alert and cognizant of his or her surroundings and whether risk exists for severe injury. The paper explains the risk factors in this patient's condition and notes the possibility of latent injury.
From the Paper "This case study involves an 8-year old with obvious trauma to the face and head. There is no apparent fractures of the extremities, and while the patient is awake, he is only semi alert. The following eight questions will be crucial in evaluating this case. The questions are simple, given the patients age and the likelihood the boy may suffer from some form of shock following the injury. Each question focuses on assessing the extent to which neurological impairment exists, with some questions assessing the potential for cervical spinal damage, and others assessing whether the boy suffers from a concussion or related injury. Immobilization of the cervical spine will help prevent additional injury to the patient during questioning (NICE, 2003). "
Abstract This paper examines the arguments for and against the various philosophical understandings of the composition of human beings and whether or not consciousness exists. It looks at how the question of how to consolidate an understanding of our (physical self) body with our (immaterial self) soul is not a new discussion and how an understanding of how these aspects of our humanity interact fuels our belief system and our worldview, about subjects as diverse as life after death, stem cell research, the value of therapy for the brain injured and whether or not to pull the plug on an individual in a coma.
From the Paper "The study of consciousness has become more popular recently. Its interdisciplinary focus further highlights the problem of definitions since, for example, a psychologist, a physicist and a philosopher would not use the word in the same way. Beichler defines consciousness as the "growing 'entanglement' or awareness of 'life,' 'mind' and the interconnections of all things in the universe via the fifth dimension" (p. 110). Physicists would argue that for consciousness to exist something must be alive, meaning that it is first necessary to determine whether something is alive or not. It is also important to consider whether this living thing has "self-motivation". I agree with Beichler when he suggests that while we detect our world in three or four dimensions there could in fact be more, within which an understanding of consciousness and intuition could be found. "
Abstract The writer reveals that hockey players will not wear helmets on the outdoor rink because their friends may think they are not 'cool' or because they reason that they get too cold. The writer argues that a person's safety is definitely more important than appearance and that one does not get cold with a helmet. The writer relates that he has seen many injuries on the outdoor rink that could have easily been prevented by wearing a helmet. The writer concludes that players need to think where they wish to be in twenty years; in a wheelchair, or walking by their child's side?
From the Paper "It was when I was at Stephen Leacock behind the school where we were playing hockey on the outdoor rink. I turned around and I realized that my dad was lying on his back right behind a rut on the ice. Everyone around quickly stopped playing because they realized he was injured. Luckily, he only suffered a minor concussion. Some people, however, are not so lucky and they end up with brain damage, or even worse: death."
