First Subtopic

My first subtopic concerns the short-term effects of concussions and how they can be worsened by playing while hurt. Some of the immediate short-term effects include memory loss, headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sleeping problems. The severity of these side-effects are determined by the severity of the concussion itself. The side effects can last for anywhere from a few days to a few months and it's very unpredictable what will occur. There needs to be increased recovery time after an iunjury so that an athlete can better monitor the side-effects of their injury. Also, a player's risk to have another concussion is greatly raised immediately following a concussion. By taking extra time off after suffering a concussion athletes can avoid the increased risk that a concussion poses. This reduced risk of additional concussions will also reduce the severity of the long-term effects of concussions, which multiply with more concussions. Also, there is evidence that concussions can effect the concentration of athletes and some experts have recommended that athletes be exempt not just from athletic activities but also from academic activities while they are recovering from their injury.

Pros/Cons

There are many advantages to lengthening the recovery time for an athlete after they suffer a concussion. First of all, several studies have suggested that there is possibly a link between a concussions and symptoms of depression, dementia, and Alzheimer's later in their lives. Proponents argue that even if these links can't be conclusively proved, it is too big of a risk to take simply to play in one or two sports games. Also, studies have shown that there is an increased risk of concussion after the first concussion has been incurred. If a player suffers a concussion soon after they suffer their first concussion than they are at an increased risk for further brain damage. Studies on football players who have suffered multiple concussions have shown that players who have multiple concussions often have cognitive impairment similar to conditions only previously seen in boxers. There is also the possibility of a rare occurrence called secondary shock syndrom. This can lead to severe brain damage or even to death.

However, there are some who believe that there is not yet enough known about concussions to institute regulations on the return-to-play time. Opponents argue that concussions often go undiagnosed because the athletes themselves don't want to look weak. Therefore, increasing the return-to-play times would just lead to more athletes not admitting their true symptoms because they want to continue to play the game. Also, many critics argue that the links between concussions and things like depression, dementia, and Alzheimer's aren't yet proven and may not actually exist. The NFL recently released a study that found no connections between these effects and concussions. Also, it has not yet been proven that secondary-shock syndrome actually exists because it is so rare that many people think that it may be misdiagnosed.

I am going to argue that return-to-play times should be increased because it is in the best interest of everybody who is involved. It will lead to less severe long-lasting injuries for players and everybody will be better off in the end.

Intro

The issue I'm researching is the controversy surrounding concussions in sports. The issue surrounding this topic concerns the effects of concussions and whether or not they are a serious enough injury to require missing a game. There is alot of controversy over whether athletes should be allowed back into a game 15 minutes after a concussion or if they should have to wait longer period of time before getting back in the game. I selected this issue because I was interested in concussions after heraing stories about people getting seriously injured because they played with a concussion. My research paper will probably concern the amount of time a player has to wait before returning back to their sport and whether that time should be modified.