Sports are played everywhere all around the world. Different types and varieties. However, some sports are just more dangerous than others. Take football, for instance. Players try to make a touchdown or a conversion to score points. Not dangerous, right? However, that’s only the offense. With the defense, players tackle each other for the ball and try to stop others from scoring. The game is dangerous because of all the rough play involved. Tackling, wrestling, and any other acts all add to the danger of this game. For this reason, many football players can get injured during games or practices, also practice games. Some might get concussions, while others can get badly bruised or hit. The worst part about this is that the football players don’t speak up and tell their coaches. They shake off the pain and then continue playing. When Rock Cartwright got walloped, five minutes later, he was back on the field. Because of this, football players can suffer serious consequences from this sport.
Players keep the secret of injuries from coaches for 3 reasons. It’s not just because they want to continue playing, no. There are different backstories. When interviewed, half of 6/160 players said they had at least suffered one concussion. Justin Smiley, from Miami Dolphins, says that “players do not want to consult team physicians about possible concussions” According to his sayings, some players do not want to let down the team and appear weak in front of the opposing team. They want to put up a strong stand. Secondly, players do not want to lose a spot on the team. For example, let’s say you stopped playing because of an injury. The coach might not be able to wait and replace you, and you would have no money and be off the team. Lastly, players are willing to sacrifice the sake of wellbeing for a single paycheck. Most players are paid for playing on the team. If you don’t play, you don’t get paid. There are many reasons for not talking about an injury. However, wellbeing should always come first. Money and a spot on the team doesn't matter as much as health does.
Players can get injured in a different variety of ways. It’s not just because of sliding or diving. It can be different types of injuries and how they get the injury. The first major injury is the medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain (stretching of the ligament). Located on the inside portion of your knee, it’s primary job is to prevent side-to-side motion of the knee. Another common injury is the meniscus tear. The meniscus is a crescent-shaped piece of cartilage located between the tibia and femur bones. A torn meniscus can last 3 to 4 weeks. The last injury is a concussion. A concussion is an injury to the brain that affects thinking and other aspects of cognitive function. It is very serious. For example, if you run (at full speed) headlong into someone else in football, you are likely to get a concussion and like, stop thinking. Rock Cartwright described it as “shaking like a bell”. After all the injuries, there are also consequences. Players can be out for the season from a serious ACL tear or concussion. Everlasting symptoms of a concussion can be dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Not telling can lead to even more severe consequences. Getting off the team is better than having everlasting symptoms.
Every problem always gets a solution sometime. Not just for how to open a door, but for every problem, including the injuries in football, there will always be a solution somewhere. After all the injuries, the NFL, or National Football League, finally input safety measures to ensure the player’s wellbeing. There have been changes to the general rules of football, which can make it less dangerous. For instance, there has been a rule that states that if a player displays signs of a concussion or head injury, they will be pulled out and not return. Dr. David Geier says, “I do think there are changes we could make to at least decrease that risk.” He is talking about the risk of injury. Improvements in equipment can also help. For example,s players are required to wear thigh and knee pads to protect them from knee and leg injuries. Players now also have to undergo testing in the preseason, and doctors will compare the tests to after a player has suffered a possible concussion. If the player displays the same symptoms, they are not allowed to play for the season. These are all solutions to the danger of the sport. Solutions can’t be made more dangerous than the problem. Making a solution is easy. But making a solution that benefits and helps is not easy.
Many sports are played around the world. From different objectives, to different rules, we must do our best to keep the sport fun and safe. Players who play these sports are constantly putting their health at risk when they play. We must do all in our power to keep them safe for our and their benefit. We can do this by eliminating moves that can cause severe harm, and improving the quality of equipment to protect players better. While doing this, we also need to address the need for injuries, and make sure some people aren’t hiding the fact that they got hurt. Sports also play an important role in our daily lives. It can bring social justice and create bonds we otherwise would have never created. By helping the sportsmen and women stay safe and strong during their sport, we are helping them and us be a better version of ourselves. This benefits us, players, and mostly, the world. NFL players also have to support their families, and they are willing to put their health at risk for that. The NFL league should still pay the players a base salary, even if they don’t play. That way, players can ensure their health and money.
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