This is disturbing: new study shows changes in brain connections and function after just a single season of football

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m very against football. But I’d like similar studies does for other youth sports like soccer and hockey. I’m sure it’s not as bad as football but I’d like to know how bad it is.

Soccer is almost as bad as football when it comes to head injuries, concussions, CTE among advanced players. Girls soccer in high school has a similar rate of head injuries to boys football in high school.

Any contact sport has a risk of head injuries, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, football.

That's crazy about soccer. I had no idea. It seems like hockey (not pro, just talking youth sports) is actually better than I would have thought. I'm not from a hockey state and my knowledge of it was reading about blood and teeth bouncing off the ice in Judy Blume's books. I can't believe we have middle and high school children (yes, children) playing tackle football.

Hockey only allows full checking in 14U, so there is relatively low risk in the younger years. The biggest drop-off in participation occurs when checking is added. Some people argue that checking should be introduced much younger, like tackle football and lacrosse, so the kids can learn it safely before some of them are 6' and already in puberty. The little 4'10 kid who is super fast, has soft hands, and is the top goal scorer in 12U may quit the first time he is body-checked by a kid twice his weight. In any case, the collisions in football are much bigger than checking in hockey in lacrosse. I wish my kid played tennis or swam, but I lost that battle.

Tennis has its share of injuries and issues long term (repetitive stress)

Kids shouldn’t play anything. Maybe swimming then? 🤡

[Anonymous]

Life is full of tradeoffs. Everybody focuses development on some muscles and ignores others. Bicyclists don't need giant arms. Football players don't need giant brains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Life is full of tradeoffs. Everybody focuses development on some muscles and ignores others. Bicyclists don't need giant arms. Football players don't need giant brains.

That is until football players’ mashed potato brains change their behavior when they get to their late 30s and they commit suicide or murder their whole family.

[Anonymous]

Long story short, for those that care about their kids. Be cautious with contact sports or any sports where concussions seem likely. Wear a helmet when you can for sports where head injuries seem imminent (horseback riding/biking). Cease playing sports where the risk seems highest of repeated violent head trauma. Yellow flag sports where they is less chance of repeated violent head trauma and consult your pediatrician with concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's this whole weird culture (in the south, mostly) where it's a lifestyle and the kids are sacrificial lambs. At the end of this news story many of the parents still say yes I'd let my kid play: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/16/us/cte-youth-football.html

That article was heartbreaking. The parents who said they would still let their child play underscores the power of football in popular culture. To think that a loving parent would repeat a decision that caused their child to be in so much pain that he recorded a video explaining the reason for his suicide, requesting that his brain be studied, is the height of illogical thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, for those that care about their kids. Be cautious with contact sports or any sports where concussions seem likely. Wear a helmet when you can for sports where head injuries seem imminent (horseback riding/biking). Cease playing sports where the risk seems highest of repeated violent head trauma. Yellow flag sports where they is less chance of repeated violent head trauma and consult your pediatrician with concerns.

One salient point here is that it is NOT just head trauma to be wary of. It’s the rapid acceleration/deceleration that can occur without any impacts to the head. The Nature study notes that the mri changes occurred in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Helmets do little to nothing for rapid acceleration and deceleration. The only thing that seems to make a difference is neck strength, which explains why girls’ soccer has a higher concussion rate than boys’ soccer - it’s nearly THREE times higher than boys’ soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, for those that care about their kids. Be cautious with contact sports or any sports where concussions seem likely. Wear a helmet when you can for sports where head injuries seem imminent (horseback riding/biking). Cease playing sports where the risk seems highest of repeated violent head trauma. Yellow flag sports where they is less chance of repeated violent head trauma and consult your pediatrician with concerns.

One salient point here is that it is NOT just head trauma to be wary of. It’s the rapid acceleration/deceleration that can occur without any impacts to the head. The Nature study notes that the mri changes occurred in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Helmets do little to nothing for rapid acceleration and deceleration. The only thing that seems to make a difference is neck strength, which explains why girls’ soccer has a higher concussion rate than boys’ soccer - it’s nearly THREE times higher than boys’ soccer.

There is NO WAY I would let my DD play soccer, especially when you consider that the head injuries are probably under-diagnosed. Just reckless and irresponsible of parents

[Anonymous]

I think it's important to consider the dangers of football but culturally, it's an American sport that will be around. Assume that kids will continue to play and then try telling your kid they can't. See how that goes.

With the other contact sports- you just can't not do anything because it can hurt you. I mean I think sitting around with nothing to do is just as bad. I think that the world can't function with everything being safe. It's like healthy food - you know that junk food sometimes is needed LOL even though it's horrible for you. Sorry but there's a ton of healthy shit I spit out cause it's gross! So it's got to be a balance and it's not easy.

I agree that if all the sports football really is so dangerous but I also understand why some parents let it go. It's really the NFL and American society that has to change in order for kids to refrain from the sport however. It's not just on the parents - how popular is the Super Bowl?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long story short, for those that care about their kids. Be cautious with contact sports or any sports where concussions seem likely. Wear a helmet when you can for sports where head injuries seem imminent (horseback riding/biking). Cease playing sports where the risk seems highest of repeated violent head trauma. Yellow flag sports where they is less chance of repeated violent head trauma and consult your pediatrician with concerns.

One salient point here is that it is NOT just head trauma to be wary of. It’s the rapid acceleration/deceleration that can occur without any impacts to the head. The Nature study notes that the mri changes occurred in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. Helmets do little to nothing for rapid acceleration and deceleration. The only thing that seems to make a difference is neck strength, which explains why girls’ soccer has a higher concussion rate than boys’ soccer - it’s nearly THREE times higher than boys’ soccer.

There is NO WAY I would let my DD play soccer, especially when you consider that the head injuries are probably under-diagnosed. Just reckless and irresponsible of parents

You are a nut job pure and simple. To say that I as a parent whose DD has played travel soccer since age 7 is irresponsible is really assuming a lot. In your world no kid could be outside right?

If you go out you might get hurt! Play soccer, bad choice. Play tennis, you could twist something. Run, you could sprain something Swim, you could pull something. Basketball, softball, hey you can also get hurt! Dance, be anorexic. Cheer, fall and break a bone. Ice skate or gymnastics? Worse! I mean is walking all that's left?!! In your world, what would you have a kid do?

[Anonymous]

Interesting that they don’t do any longitudinal measures in controls, only football athletes. Unclear what these brain changes actually mean, and how do we know they are not a function of exercise or other aspect of sport. Also figure 3 looks like trash, not sure how they managed to pull asterisks out of that when the subject’ data cross cross from t1 to 2 to 3.

I wouldn’t let my kid play tackle football, but this study convinces me of very little. I bet an frmi scan looks way more effed after a night of sleep deprivation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m very against football. But I’d like similar studies does for other youth sports like soccer and hockey. I’m sure it’s not as bad as football but I’d like to know how bad it is.

Soccer is almost as bad as football when it comes to head injuries, concussions, CTE among advanced players. Girls soccer in high school has a similar rate of head injuries to boys football in high school.

Any contact sport has a risk of head injuries, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, football.

That's crazy about soccer. I had no idea. It seems like hockey (not pro, just talking youth sports) is actually better than I would have thought. I'm not from a hockey state and my knowledge of it was reading about blood and teeth bouncing off the ice in Judy Blume's books. I can't believe we have middle and high school children (yes, children) playing tackle football.

Hockey only allows full checking in 14U, so there is relatively low risk in the younger years. The biggest drop-off in participation occurs when checking is added. Some people argue that checking should be introduced much younger, like tackle football and lacrosse, so the kids can learn it safely before some of them are 6' and already in puberty. The little 4'10 kid who is super fast, has soft hands, and is the top goal scorer in 12U may quit the first time he is body-checked by a kid twice his weight. In any case, the collisions in football are much bigger than checking in hockey in lacrosse. I wish my kid played tennis or swam, but I lost that battle.

Tennis has its share of injuries and issues long term (repetitive stress)

They’re specifically talking about brain injuries.

Yes, I would avoid soccer and football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's important to consider the dangers of football but culturally, it's an American sport that will be around. Assume that kids will continue to play and then try telling your kid they can't. See how that goes.

With the other contact sports- you just can't not do anything because it can hurt you. I mean I think sitting around with nothing to do is just as bad. I think that the world can't function with everything being safe. It's like healthy food - you know that junk food sometimes is needed LOL even though it's horrible for you. Sorry but there's a ton of healthy shit I spit out cause it's gross! So it's got to be a balance and it's not easy.

I agree that if all the sports football really is so dangerous but I also understand why some parents let it go. It's really the NFL and American society that has to change in order for kids to refrain from the sport however. It's not just on the parents - how popular is the Super Bowl?!

Sports do decline over time. Look at horse racing in the us. And greyhound racing. NASCAR is also on the decline. It seems impossible that the nfl could lose popularity, especially given the massive marketing machine behind it, but in the 1970, the most popular spectator sport in the US was horse racing. And I’m sure it doesn’t crack the top ten or top 15 today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet more evidence contact sports like football appear to be a terrible idea for youth:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-51688-2


How are parents still mentally justifying their kids playing football? It’s funny how parents would prevent their young kid from watching a rated R movie filled with violence and sex, but they have no issues at all exposing their children to a sport where evidence mounts by the day that they’re scrambling their brains. Gross.

Sorry -- this is just not a thing. Read the article. Issues gone with a break -- if there were issues which is not clear. I agree not until High School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's important to consider the dangers of football but culturally, it's an American sport that will be around. Assume that kids will continue to play and then try telling your kid they can't. See how that goes.

With the other contact sports- you just can't not do anything because it can hurt you. I mean I think sitting around with nothing to do is just as bad. I think that the world can't function with everything being safe. It's like healthy food - you know that junk food sometimes is needed LOL even though it's horrible for you. Sorry but there's a ton of healthy shit I spit out cause it's gross! So it's got to be a balance and it's not easy.

I agree that if all the sports football really is so dangerous but I also understand why some parents let it go. It's really the NFL and American society that has to change in order for kids to refrain from the sport however. It's not just on the parents - how popular is the Super Bowl?!

Sports do decline over time. Look at horse racing in the us. And greyhound racing. NASCAR is also on the decline. It seems impossible that the nfl could lose popularity, especially given the massive marketing machine behind it, but in the 1970, the most popular spectator sport in the US was horse racing. And I’m sure it doesn’t crack the top ten or top 15 today.

They do decline but the sport will likely evolve over time. I do not see it declining even if it became flag football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's important to consider the dangers of football but culturally, it's an American sport that will be around. Assume that kids will continue to play and then try telling your kid they can't. See how that goes.

With the other contact sports- you just can't not do anything because it can hurt you. I mean I think sitting around with nothing to do is just as bad. I think that the world can't function with everything being safe. It's like healthy food - you know that junk food sometimes is needed LOL even though it's horrible for you. Sorry but there's a ton of healthy shit I spit out cause it's gross! So it's got to be a balance and it's not easy.

I agree that if all the sports football really is so dangerous but I also understand why some parents let it go. It's really the NFL and American society that has to change in order for kids to refrain from the sport however. It's not just on the parents - how popular is the Super Bowl?!

Sports do decline over time. Look at horse racing in the us. And greyhound racing. NASCAR is also on the decline. It seems impossible that the nfl could lose popularity, especially given the massive marketing machine behind it, but in the 1970, the most popular spectator sport in the US was horse racing. And I’m sure it doesn’t crack the top ten or top 15 today.

Interest in the NFL has been declining.
And the NFL is promoting flag football. They see the writing on the wall too.