The Science Behind Head Injuries in Football

Study shows repetitive hits affect the brain A research team at Purdue University put sensors in the helmets of football players to measure the force of the hits they were taking. The study found players with no concussion symptoms often showed neurological impairments equal to or greater than their concussed teammates. THE PROOF Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) scans show the changes in neural activity of a player in the Purdue study. A sequence of FMRI scans taken of a high-school football player in Indiana before, during and after his season showed functional impairment. Brain activity (orange) declined during the season and then recovered after the season. PRESEASON IN-SEASON POSTSEASON THE TECHNIQUE In order to decrease the number of head-contact incidents in football, proper tackling technique is key. One approach: 3 FIT 1 START The gaining of control and balance by spreading feet shoulder width apart and taking short choppy steps toward your opponent. (2 нIT The initial contact position, which is an eyes-up, chest-to- chest impact with the ball carrier. 4 LOCK The wrap up, throwing the arms around the ball carrier in an upward motion from the tackler's hips to the ball carrier's shoulders 5 LIFT The driving, upward force of the arm motion added to the inward and 6 DRIVE The rapid footwork The continuation of the first step, striking upward through the ball carrier's body and keeping the head up in a position called "Eyes to the Sky." necessary to maintain forward rising hip movement designed to break the ball carrier's balance momentum against the ball carrier's progress. and contact with the ground. TONIA COWAN, TRISH MCALASTER AND RACHEL BRADY/THE GLOBE AND MAIL D SOURCES: PURDUE, RIDDELL, TECHNOLOGY REVIEW, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, CONCUSSIONS IN FOOTBALL, WHAT THEY ARÉ, HOW THEY CAN BE PREVENTED, AND WHEN IT'S SAFE TO PLAY AGAIN - DEREK A WADE, AMERICAN MILITARY UNIVERŠITY