Photo Credit: © Can Stock Photo / erika8213
About this time of year, as spring sports give way to summer activities, parks and rec maintenance professionals turn their attention towards getting fields ready for fall football.
Safe, playable fields are the most important consideration. In recent years, studies have shown that concussions put young players at risk for long-term brain damage, not to mention sprains, fractures, or broken bones. Often, these concussive hits occur between players; however, a player hitting the ground can also cause the same intense level of concussion.
The Risks Outweigh The Benefits
Though interested parties will argue different sides of this issue, there is scientific evidence, specifically in a study led by Boston University School of Medicine and posted online in the journal Neurology, that exposing young brains to even one, but more often constant concussive blows in tackle football, can lead to irreversible damage.