Sustaining a brain injury whatever the circumstances is a stressful and traumatic experience. If you are an athlete playing a contact sport such as rugby or football the risk of brain injuries increases due to the amount of trauma your head receives.
From concussions to traumatic brain injuries, these injuries can have a major impact on an athlete’s life. Often getting diagnosed can be difficult but there is hope as sporting organisations have started to make changes to protect their players.
Understanding brain injuries in contact sports
Injuries such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are common occurrences in contact sports. Concussions occur when a knock to the head causes the brain to pump against the inside of the skull. As a result, it will become bruised which results in a temporary loss of brain function. Concussions are mild TBIs when TBI is an all-encompassing term for a head injury that disturbs brain function.
Rugby, for example, uses tackling head-on a lot, so it is common to see rugby players with concussions. In recent months, 125 former professional rugby league players are considering launching legal action after being diagnosed with early-onset dementia which has been linked to brain injuries.
The journey from diagnosis to long-term effects
Brain injuries can be misdiagnosed as many of the symptoms can be attributed to something else. Headaches, dizziness and depression can all be standard diagnoses. This is why athletes must be seen immediately by medical professionals following a brain injury.
There can be several long-term effects depending on the severity of the initial injury such as memory issues, mood swings, seizures and headaches. The earlier a brain injury is detected, the better your chances are of recovering fully.
Player safety measures implemented by organisations
The government has recently published UK-wide concussion guidelines to help people prevent, identify and manage concussions in grassroots players of all sports. They state that if a coach is ever unsure then the player should sit out until they can be properly assessed.
From July 2023 the rules for tackling in rugby have been adapted. With the new rule changes, tackling above the waist has been banned and players doing so will receive a red card.
Long-term consequences for athletes
Suffering from a brain injury can have long-term effects if you are an athlete. If the injury is serious enough you may struggle to play your favourite sport again. Symptoms such as mood swings, irritability and depression can put a strain on personal relationships as well, so your life may change radically.
American football player Aaron Hernandez is an example of an athlete’s life changing after a brain injury. The former star has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) which occurs from repeated knocks to the head.
If you are struggling with a brain injury, it may be worth contacting an expert firm of lawyers to help support you and get the compensation and treatments you deserve. They will be able to put forward brain injury claims on your behalf which takes some of the stress away from you.