In New York, there are some footballers that have hidden their secrets of getting hurt, along with pain throbbing their head. Rock Cartwright, one of the footballers, later admitted he felt pain in his head and played down the pain. Only five minutes later, he recovered and played football on the field. "You know how a bell vibrates? That's how my brain was going at that time," Cartwright said. Nearly twenty percent of the National Football League (aka. NFL) players also admitted to hiding their injuries. Half of the 160 players interviewed, each said that they had a concussion at least once. None of them tell their team’s medical staff, and just bear the pain. "[Doctors and trainers] are better [at] watching for symptoms of what might be a concussion," said Anthony Adams of the Chicago Bears.” They do this during both practices and games, too.
There are reasons behind why the footballers don’t tell anyone about their concussions. Firstly, the player wants to hide his concussion so that he (or she) will not lose their payment. They might have their payments taken away because of not participating in the game, and might not be able to support their family. In professional football, no money means no honor on the team. Secondly, the players want to avoid appearing weak and show their strong side to the coach, parents, audience and also the other team. Many said that they stayed in a game even though they felt "dazed" or "woozy." Thirdly, they have a fear of losing a spot on the team. If the coach knows, he would probably put a replacement player in the place of the original player and the original player would lose a spot on the team. Sixty one of the players interviewed said that they have tried to push away concussions because of money, losing a spot that could cause the player to be broke, and also avoiding appearing weak.
Injuries in football can occur due to high speeds, full contact, falls, and sudden changes in running direction. Concussions, which are traumas to the brain, knee injuries, especially to the ligaments and cartilage, and sprains and strains, which are injuries to the muscles and tendons are one kind of injury in football. Some injuries can have long-term effects on a player's health and involvement in the sport. Players can stop playing football for as long as half a year, and by that time others will have already chimed in and taken the star place. Some said that they experienced blurred vision. Many football players also have dementia and Alzheimer's disease. "The only thing I remember is coming out of the tunnel at the beginning of the game, and then—a big gap," said the St. Louis Rams' David Vobora. Vobora experienced a concussion last season. "But I played the whole game, until the last series, when I started asking guys questions, and they looked at me like I was crazy."
Colin Allred said that his memory has become worse. Concussions really do cause a lot of problems to football players, both mentally and physically.
Now, the rules, safety and equipment have improved for the footballers, and concussion doesn’t happen that often now. Some of the rules of the game have been changed to ensure the protection of players. One study showed that having a comprehensive health screening could reduce the risk of injury by up to 42%.The equipment is also changed into new and safer ones, securing the protection equipment. They are regularly inspected, ensuring the equipment is working properly. The league also now takes concussion more seriously than the past. "[Doctors and trainers] are better [at] watching for symptoms of what might be a concussion," said Anthony Adams of the Chicago Bears. Concussion and injuries have become a lot less now that people are paying more attention to safety.
We should take good care of sportsmen. Eliminate the stigmatization of injuries by changing the value system in sports culture that advocates “winning at all costs”. We need to also remove the label of “softie” from injured athletes. This would allow players to be more open about their injuries without fear of judgment. Football players worry about money because their pay without going onto the field is very little. They try to hide their concussion to go onto the field, where pay can be hundreds or even thousands of times more than not doing so. It is right to give others a chance, not only the star players, so that everyone can improve. Thirdly, make athletes aware of the importance of long-term health and explain the potential long-term consequences of hiding injuries, helping them to make more rational decisions regarding their health and career. Sportsmen have a lot of injuries, so they need to learn to protect themselves.
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