Head Injuries In Sports: What Are The Risks And What Is Being Done?

There have been a lot of headlines recently about the risk of head injuries in sports. Much of the news that’s generated includes questions about how strict restrictions and risk strategies should be and what needs to happen if a player is showing signs of injury. 

From football, where there’s currently a conversation around ‘concussion subs’ to rugby, where we’ve seen several years’-worth of debate and studies into the ramifications of a long career on the pitch. 

It’s not just the UK that’s focusing on how certain sports see a significant amount of head injury among players. Heather Anderson, an Australian Rules footballer in Australia, was the world’s first diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a professional female athlete.

So, where are we right now? What are the risks that players face and what’s being done to address the issue? 

Head injuries in sports 

For years, football fans have seen their favourite players heading the ball into the net and using this as a standard passing technique. But the impact of this on players has become the focus in recent years, with talk about the risk of concussion now and dementia in later life forming one of the major talking points. 

For instance, studies revealed that there’s an increased risk of dementia for outfield players than for goalkeepers. In Sweden, a study of male footballers found they were one-and-a-half times more likely to develop dementia than the general population.

For high-contact sports like rugby, there’s the risk of second-impact syndrome, where a series of knocks to the head can cause several concussions at once, leading to potentially harmful injuries. 

What are the legal implications? 

In January this year, 19 former footballers, including three with Premier League experience, took on the FA at the High Court. They are seeking compensation over brain injuries sustained while they played football. 

While this is considered a potentially landmark legal battle, it’s not the first time we’ve seen sportspeople seek legal justice. The case follows litigation over brain injuries against World Rugby Limited, Welsh Rugby Union Limited and England’s Rugby Football Union. 

Brain injury solicitors are being appointed by sportspeople who have played at varying levels. They are seeking damages for their injuries.  

What is being done? 

Here in the UK, the Heading Guidance in Training programme from England Football was introduced to eliminate or restrict heading at U12 level and below. This indicates the focus on training younger people in a way that preserves them and prevents head injury. 

Meanwhile, there’s talk of ‘concussion substitutes’ and the move towards removing players that are showing signs of concussion. 

While these changes have been welcomed, there are still conversations taking place around how these changes will look and what this means for players. 

While there are arguments that state that head injury could be a risk that comes with these contact sports, there are those who would argue that there’s more that could be done to protect players.

While programmes like the Heading Guidance in Training programme are a move in the right direction, there’s more to be done to prevent people from becoming injured or even dying from their injuries.