Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the research around CTE is people confusing how the relative risk translates to baseline risk. It reminds me of when women were told to stop taking hormones during menopause bc a study had said it increased their relative risk by 30%, but people’s baseline risk was only 5% of getting breast cancer in their lifetime and so their chance of getting breast cancer with taking hormones increased to 6.5% (the 5% goes 30% higher), not 30% chance of getting breast cancer for everyone.

For a child who starts football around age 12 and plays a skill position (WR, DB, QB, etc.), the risk of developing CTE is likely higher than for a soccer player, but much lower than for linemen or long-term football players. Researchers cannot give an exact percentage, but the best current evidence suggests the risk may be a few times higher than soccer, largely because football involves more repetitive head impacts. Starting later, playing a skill position, limiting contact in practice, and properly managing any concussions all help reduce risk.

People don't realize the danger in soccer though. CTE is actually quite a problem in soccer for several reasons. It's the only sport that actively encourages hitting things with your head. It features high speed contact without pads or helmets. The soccer ball travels much faster than the football with riccochets. Goalies are often diving around people kicking. They start headers at a very young age. The goal posts are unpadded.

Basketball has the highest injury rate, but it tends to be minor knee, ankle, hand injury.

You can’t bubble wrap your kids before you se d them out into the world. Gheesh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the research around CTE is people confusing how the relative risk translates to baseline risk. It reminds me of when women were told to stop taking hormones during menopause bc a study had said it increased their relative risk by 30%, but people’s baseline risk was only 5% of getting breast cancer in their lifetime and so their chance of getting breast cancer with taking hormones increased to 6.5% (the 5% goes 30% higher), not 30% chance of getting breast cancer for everyone.

For a child who starts football around age 12 and plays a skill position (WR, DB, QB, etc.), the risk of developing CTE is likely higher than for a soccer player, but much lower than for linemen or long-term football players. Researchers cannot give an exact percentage, but the best current evidence suggests the risk may be a few times higher than soccer, largely because football involves more repetitive head impacts. Starting later, playing a skill position, limiting contact in practice, and properly managing any concussions all help reduce risk.

People don't realize the danger in soccer though. CTE is actually quite a problem in soccer for several reasons. It's the only sport that actively encourages hitting things with your head. It features high speed contact without pads or helmets. The soccer ball travels much faster than the football with riccochets. Goalies are often diving around people kicking. They start headers at a very young age. The goal posts are unpadded.

Basketball has the highest injury rate, but it tends to be minor knee, ankle, hand injury.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are millions of HS football players each year. If what you say is true why aren’t there millions of adult males struggling with brain issues? Football is a violent sport. It has risks, but it also has a lot to offer a young man. It’s popular for a reason. Males are attracted to the camaraderie, toughness, and bravery that football requires. Those things are not found everywhere and their absence from a young man’s life is also a risk. The moms on here have trouble understanding that.

You have drunk the kool-aid that a boy cannot become a good man without sports.

Not at all. There are multiple paths to becoming a good man, but there is tons of historical evidence that playing sports, football included, has helped shape a ton of young men in a positive direction. Living in fear is a terrible way to live. There are safer things to do than football, but if your kid wants to play and challenge themselves in a way that is not easily replicated its worth the risk. Its much more likely to benefit them to harm them.

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the research around CTE is people confusing how the relative risk translates to baseline risk. It reminds me of when women were told to stop taking hormones during menopause bc a study had said it increased their relative risk by 30%, but people’s baseline risk was only 5% of getting breast cancer in their lifetime and so their chance of getting breast cancer with taking hormones increased to 6.5% (the 5% goes 30% higher), not 30% chance of getting breast cancer for everyone.

For a child who starts football around age 12 and plays a skill position (WR, DB, QB, etc.), the risk of developing CTE is likely higher than for a soccer player, but much lower than for linemen or long-term football players. Researchers cannot give an exact percentage, but the best current evidence suggests the risk may be a few times higher than soccer, largely because football involves more repetitive head impacts. Starting later, playing a skill position, limiting contact in practice, and properly managing any concussions all help reduce risk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are millions of HS football players each year. If what you say is true why aren’t there millions of adult males struggling with brain issues? Football is a violent sport. It has risks, but it also has a lot to offer a young man. It’s popular for a reason. Males are attracted to the camaraderie, toughness, and bravery that football requires. Those things are not found everywhere and their absence from a young man’s life is also a risk. The moms on here have trouble understanding that.

You have drunk the kool-aid that a boy cannot become a good man without sports.

Anonymous wrote:This generation is way too soft. Kids should be allowed laying through concussions, it builds character. Only weak kids actually suffer long term effects.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only people they’ve tested for CTE had CTE, and everyone knew it already. Don’t get me wrong, football is dangerous and CTE is a real risk, but not everyone who plays football gets it. A kid who plays high school football and doesn’t go on to play college and pro is not likely to develop CTE.

Wrong. 1000% wrong.

They've done autopsies of kids in high school who died and who played football. They shockingly have found CTE plaques in high school football players who've never been diagnosed with a concussion. IIRC, the one high school player had a brain that looked like he was in his 40s or whatever.

Many kids who play high school football have probably played since peewee. They have multiple practices per week, games, and for years on end. By the time they're in high school they've already recieved thousands of hits to the head.

Football is basically MMA. Yeah, you won't get knocked out 99% of the time, but every time you run into someone, block, or tackle, it is like taking a jab to the head in boxing or MMA. Those thousands of small insults to the brain and head add up over time due to years and years of practices and games. Just look at Muhammad Ali. He almost never got KO'd, but all those smaller hits to the head turned his brains into mush. You're literally signing your kid up for pugilistica dementia risk when you permit them to play football.

Anonymous wrote:There are millions of HS football players each year. If what you say is true why aren’t there millions of adult males struggling with brain issues? Football is a violent sport. It has risks, but it also has a lot to offer a young man. It’s popular for a reason. Males are attracted to the camaraderie, toughness, and bravery that football requires. Those things are not found everywhere and their absence from a young man’s life is also a risk. The moms on here have trouble understanding that.

Anonymous wrote:There are millions of HS football players each year. If what you say is true why aren’t there millions of adult males struggling with brain issues? Football is a violent sport. It has risks, but it also has a lot to offer a young man. It’s popular for a reason. Males are attracted to the camaraderie, toughness, and bravery that football requires. Those things are not found everywhere and their absence from a young man’s life is also a risk. The moms on here have trouble understanding that.

Anonymous wrote:The only people they’ve tested for CTE had CTE, and everyone knew it already. Don’t get me wrong, football is dangerous and CTE is a real risk, but not everyone who plays football gets it. A kid who plays high school football and doesn’t go on to play college and pro is not likely to develop CTE.