When many think of concussion-related sports injuries, they think of football and the incidence of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, associated with the sport. CTE is a brain condition caused by repeated head injuries and blows to the head, and it can not only lead to severe mental and emotional issues, but dementia as well.
However, what many likely do not realize is that a number of sports involve dangerous brain injuries that can ultimately lead to CTE, including and specifically, rugby: A recent study of former rugby players’ brains revealed that 21 out of 31 specimens studied (or approximately two-thirds) displayed evidence of a condition related to repeated concussion and head injuries, and those who played the sport longer were more likely to develop a degenerative brain disease. The results support a general call for all contact sports, such as boxing, football, and rugby, to protect players by reducing head impacts.
The Statistics are Horrifying
According to the study, with an average playing career of 18 years, almost 70 percent of the brains studied contained traces of CTE, with the study calculating that, for every extra year played beyond 18, there was a 14 percent increase in the risk of developing CTE. In addition, the average age of death for those players whose brains were studied was age 60.
Why?
What causes this phenomenon to occur in rugby, specifically? According to the experts, it is the shaking, twisting, and rotating of the head – thousands of times over the course of decades – that is likely to lead to deep damage in the brain. Some have compared head impacts in rugby to “spinning a bowl of porridge,” with the brain being the porridge stuck in the middle.
Negligence in the Sport
There are a number of innovative products available to protect players out there, such as smart mouthguards, which measure head movements in an effort to manage concussions. Still, not enough is being done, both in training and in actual games, to address the issue.
As a result, it isn’t just authorities associated with football who are now being sued over these serious brain injuries: A number of rugby players suffering from conditions ranging from CTE to epilepsy and motor neuron disease are suing those governing bodies behind the sport, arguing that they failed to take reasonable actions to protect the players from repeated blows to the head during their careers.
If You’ve Been Hurt, Contact Our Las Vegas Brain Injury Attorneys
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, it is imperative that you speak with a brain injury attorney right away in order to ensure that your options are protected. The experienced brain injury lawyers at Cameron Law, PLLC can help: Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and find out more.
