Brain trauma exposure for American tackle football players 5 to 9 and 9 to 14 years of age

2021 ◽  
pp. 110689
Author(s):  
J. Cournoyer ◽  
C. Karton ◽  
D. Koncan ◽  
M.D. Gilchrist ◽  
R.C. Cantu ◽  
...  
Concussion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. CNC66
Author(s):  
Travis White-Schwoch ◽  
Jennifer Krizman ◽  
Kristi McCracken ◽  
Jamie K Burgess ◽  
Elaine C Thompson ◽  
...  

Aim: Neurosensory tests have emerged as components of sport-related concussion management. Limited normative data are available in healthy, nonconcussed youth athletes. Patients & methods/results: In 2017 and 2018, we tested 108 youth tackle football players immediately before their seasons on the frequency-following response, Balance Error Scoring System, and King-Devick test. We compared results with published data in older and/or and nonathlete populations. Performance on all tests improved with age. Frequency-following response and Balance Error Scoring System results aligned with socioeconomic status. Performance was not correlated across neurosensory domains. Conclusion: Baseline neurosensory functions in seven 14-year-old male tackle football players are consistent with previously published data. Results reinforce the need for individual baselines or demographic-specific norms and the use of multiple neurosensory measures in sport-related concussion management.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Liechty ◽  
Katherine Sveinson ◽  
Fleesha Willfong ◽  
Kate Evans

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 507-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt J. Nilsson ◽  
Hilary G. Flint ◽  
Yong Gao ◽  
Leslie Kendrick ◽  
Steve Cutchin ◽  
...  

Background: Few studies have examined white matter with diffusion tensor imaging in 8- to 12-year-old collision sport (CS) athletes. Hypothesis: Youth CS athletes will demonstrate change in brain fractional anisotropy (FA) after a season of CS compared with an age-matched noncollision sport (NCS) cohort, and the number, magnitude, and location of hits will correlate with changes in the brain determined via FA for CS athletes. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Thirty-five 8- to 12-year-old males in a youth tackle football league (CS) and 12 males from local swim teams (NCS) were recruited. Participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging with FA before and after the football season. Number, magnitude, and direction of head impacts were recorded for CS participants throughout the season. Results: A total of 1905 hits were recorded in the CS group for the season, 341 (17.9%) collected during 7 games and 1564 (82.1%) observed during 31 practices. No significant interaction between group (CS and NCS) and time (pre- and postseason) was observed for FA ( P > 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive and moderate relationship between increase of left cingulate cortex (CgC) FA from pre- to postseason and the total magnitude of lateral head impacts ( r = 0.40; P = 0.03). Conclusion: There was no significant change in FA measurement of white matter integrity in a cohort of 8- to 12-year-old males after a season of youth football, nor was any difference detected in FA between youth football players and an age-matched cohort of swimmers. There was a significant correlation between total magnitude of hits sustained by youth football players and an increase in FA in the left CgC; whether this is adaptive or pathologic remains unknown. Clinical Relevance: These data can be used within the body of knowledge to counsel patients regarding the known risks of youth tackle football regarding brain health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. S22-S23
Author(s):  
S. Harris ◽  
P. Chivers ◽  
F. McIntyre ◽  
B. Piggott ◽  
F. Farringdon

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Munk ◽  
Ramona Cox ◽  
Martha E. Ewing ◽  
Peggy McCann

There has been quite a surge of women’s professional football teams in the United States; however, football is rarely offered for girls at the youth sport, middle school, high school, or intercollegiate levels. While this lack of participation can be easily attributed to the contact sport exemption clause in Title IX, researchers have shown that litigation has changed the course for women by legally opening doors for opportunities in tackle football. Today, it is more likely the lack of opportunities for females in traditional male sports is because of stereotypical beliefs linked to their gender. Using qualitative methodology, researchers in this study explored stereotypical, discrepant, societal messages encountered by current professional female football players. Findings suggested societal reactions were linked to stereotypical beliefs about women in sports and included a lack of social support, discriminatory messages, and skepticism over girl’s ability to play contact sports. Implications for further study also emerged.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088307382110044
Author(s):  
Sean C. Rose ◽  
Keith Owen Yeates ◽  
Joseph T. Nguyen ◽  
Patrick M. Ercole ◽  
Natalie M. Pizzimenti ◽  
...  

Objective: To determine the association between repetitive subconcussive head impacts and neurobehavioral outcomes in youth tackle football players. Methods: Using helmet-based sensors, we measured head impacts for 3 consecutive seasons of play in 29 male players age 9-11. Cumulative impact g’s were calculated. Players completed a battery of outcome measures before and after each season, including neuropsychological testing, vestibular-ocular sensitivity, and self- and parent-reported measures of symptoms and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results: Average cumulative impact over 3 seasons was 13 900 g. High-intensity hits predicted worse change for self-reported social adjustment ( P = .001). Cumulative impact did not predict change in any of the outcome measures. History of ADHD, anxiety, and depression predicted worse change for self-reported symptoms and social adjustment, independent of head impacts. When players were stratified into 3 groups based on cumulative impact across all 3 seasons, differences in outcome measures existed prior to the start of the first season. These differences did not further increase over the course of the 3 seasons. Conclusion: Over 3 consecutive seasons of youth tackle football, we found no association between cumulative head impacts and neurobehavioral outcomes. Larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times would further assist in characterizing this relationship.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Liechty ◽  
Fleesha Willfong ◽  
Katherine Sveinson

The purpose of this study was to explore the embodied nature of empowerment among women who play tackle football. Data collection involved semistructured interviews with 15 female football players in Western Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Three themes emerged from the data suggesting that playing football was empowering as women experienced: a) feelings of strength related to the physicality of the game; b) a sense of breaking boundaries as they participated despite challenges; and c) a sense of belonging to the team which led to positive outcomes such as increased confidence and selfacceptance. The findings of this study highlight the embodied nature of empowerment that comes through participation in sport and characteristics of contact team sport that can facilitate empowerment for women.


2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (5S) ◽  
pp. 227-228
Author(s):  
Robert C. Lynall ◽  
Erin B. Wasserman ◽  
Timothy C. Mauntel ◽  
Zachary Y. Kerr ◽  
Eric E. Hall ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Kroshus ◽  
Aly J Sonnen ◽  
Sara PD Chrisman ◽  
Frederick P Rivara

BackgroundThe American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that opportunities for non-tackling American football (e.g., flag football) be expanded, given concerns about the risks of brain trauma from tackle football. This study tested the hypothesis that flag football would be more accessible in communities characterised by higher socioeconomic status residents.MethodsIn July 2017, the locations of community-based organisations offering youth flag and tackle football for youth between the ages of 6 and 13 in two US states (Georgia and Washington) were aggregated (n=440). Organisations were coded in terms of the availability of tackle and/or flag football teams for youth at each year of age between 6 and 13. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the odds of a community-based football organisation offering flag football, by community socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.ResultsIn both states, communities with more educated residents were more likely to offer flag football for youth aged 6–12. For example, among 6 year-olds every 10% increase in the number of adult residents with a college education was associated with 1.51 times the odds of flag football availability (95% CI 1.22 to 1.86, P<0.001).ConclusionThese results suggest that youth living in communities characterised by low educational attainment are less likely than other youth to have the option of a lower contact alternative to tackle football. Relying on voluntary community-level adoption of lower contact alternatives to tackle football may result in inequitable access to such sport options. This may contribute to an inequitable burden of brain trauma from youth sport.


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