ATHLETES: Don’t Fail This Test, it Might Cost You
If you’re an athlete are you at risk of not being able to play? The article published on Boston Globe.com “Concussion Testing Implemented for Athletes” by Joe Trovato states that there will be mandatory concussion testing for all athletes before they play a “high impact sport.” The test will determine if one has had previous concussions and if they are prone to getting more concussions. Although there is a good cause behind the testing, it could cost many athletes their high school sports career.
“A lot of times you might get a concussion and there are a lot of unknowns. You don’t know the severity of it. Usually the general rule of thumb was to take a week of and go see the doctor and then be readmitted.” Hamilton Athletic and Activities director, Mike Gosz said, “we wanted to do something a step further than what they’re doing with the N FL-and that’s the baseline impact testing-which we implemented with Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin to give our community and our kids that are involved in those sports that we test something a little more concrete to compare to.” This means that parents, coaches, and doctors are trying to find a way to not only keep athletes safe when they play but also but also be able to prevent injury by finding out how susceptible to a concussion the athlete is.
This article affects me because I play sports all the time. I play baseball at Frontier Regional and I also play pick-up games in my free time. This test would tell me if I have had concussions in the past, but also if I am likely to get a concussion. If I do turn out to be more sensitive to concussions, the school might say I can’t play or do something’s in gym class, taking away a huge part of my life and my joy.
This test will not cost athletes any money, although Hamilton High School spent almost $500 to acquire the license for 300 tests. The test is taken on a computer and is assumed to take 20-30 minutes.
If you’re an athlete who competes in multiple sports, once you take the test you don’t have to take it again for another 2 years, even if you participate in several high impact sports.
One of the biggest reasons behind the tests is that the results of a concussion that isn’t properly dealt with can be very dangerous especially, if there are multiple incidents. “There’s a slowing cognitively where they’re not able to learn and grasp things as clearly,” Said Hamilton’s trainer Tracy Konopacky of Orthopedics Associates of Wisconsin. But if things aren’t taken care of properly and there is another concussion too soon, there is a risk of death. A concussion could also affect a student’s sleep patterns and interfere their ability to concentrate.
Because of these tests, I, along with other athletes, should be more careful in our free time. Athletes who care about playing sports shouldn’t do things like 4-wheeling, dirt biking, skateboarding, skiing, or other activities that could result in a head injury. Consequently, this article has made me realize that this mandate will affect how I spend my free time, as I want to make sure I can play baseball in the spring.
Short URL: http://redhawkreport.com/?p=1664
Posted by gt45sox
on Oct 17 2011. Filed under FEATUREmE, Science & Tech, Sports.
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