Cricket was saddened last year by the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes. A ball behind his ear had hit him, which resulted in this incident. Let’s talk about some situations when sports activity became dangerous rather than interesting.
And there have been several other catastrophic deaths in rugby leagues, rugby unions, and soccer since then. Some from a head injury and others from heart failure.
Is sports activity becoming more dangerous, then?
Statistics teach us very little about that. To date, there have been no detailed statistics on the amount or type of sports injuries treated by GPs or in hospitals.
All we know is that sports activity accidents accounted for around 2% of cases seen in emergency rooms last year according to statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre.
But not everyone is asked how they were injured. Also, the response is not always given, so the number is likely to be much higher.
Allyson Pollock, Professor of Public Health Research at Barts and the London School of Medicine, says this needs to improve.
“We need to know the mechanisms of what’s causing these injuries for all sports so we can assess the risks,” she says.
Danger factor
In general, most sporting organizations are aware of the dangers faced by those taking part and are working hard to protect them by amending the rules and implementing new injury policies.
At the elite stage, pushing the body harder and harder will make accidents more likely, but there will still be a chance of a freak accident or an undetected heart attack.
Owing to round-the-clock media coverage, we are now more conscious of fatal accidents in sport as they occur, which makes them feel more commonplace.
At the grassroots level, sports activity is appealing because there is some risk involved. Taking it away will change things entirely.
Dr. Loosemore says that eliminating the risk is risky in itself.
Sport is a way of putting life in danger in a controlled way. It hurts if you get to a certain position.
“Sports activities that encourage you to display bravery are also a positive thing.
“You don’t want kids to get hurt, of course, but if they play a sport in the real world, it’s less likely to happen.”
Now let’s discuss some of the facts for which sports activities become dangerous:
1. Aggressive style
Rugby Union is a sports activity in which accidents and in particular, concussions have been well controlled. Last season, in a survey of nearly 600 rugby players in England, 13 percent suffered concussion-the most common rugby injury in the last three years.
As a result, rugby concussion is now being taken very seriously, but no matter how the game is played, the risks are still present.
Professional rugby players are much larger and heavier than they were, and they play a more physical style of rugby.
Prof Pollock claims that this style of rugby is filtering down to young people and children playing the game, making it riskier.
“If other sports activity and young amateurs are mimicking the professional game, there’s no reason to think we do not see the same thing at those levels.”
To minimize the risk of serious accidents in classrooms, she supports interaction with collision sports activities such as rugby and football.
To others, this may sound drastic, but she says, “All games have evolved, and we just need to make it safer for children and prevent injuries from happening.”
2. Adrenalin rush
Some of the sports activities are necessarily more risky than others.
Snowsports, American football, equestrian sports, and sky diving are all more dangerous than tennis, badminton, and athletics, but that doesn’t stop people from doing it.
In reality, more people engage in extreme sports activities such as base jumping and parachuting than ever before.
Dr Mike Loosemore, a leading sports physician at the English Institute of Sport, says that there is a definite propensity to pursue new and increasingly risky practices, even though people are not always qualified or prepared for them.
In an over-protective culture, he says, this is one way to get the adrenaline rush that we all like.
And adding a lot of protective equipment is not a solution to the increased risk.
“Padding just means you get braver. American footballers have massive, well-designed helmets, but they don’t stop concussions. Instead, they use them as a weapon.”
He says professional rugby players who wear shoulder pads will end up becoming stronger.
3. Sports activity is addictive
Regular exercise allows the body to release endorphins, which are hormones secreted by your pituitary gland to:
- Block pain
- Alleviate anxiety
- And generate feelings of euphoric happiness
Yet endorphins are biologically identical to opioid morphine, and thus for many, compulsive sports activity may be mentally addictive. Daily exercisers, especially bodybuilders, triathletes, cyclists, or marathoners, may cause depression, tension and anxiety by suddenly reducing or stopping exercise or even skipping a single exercise. This “wheel mouse” attraction to exercise can result in overtraining, a loss of family responsibilities and social gatherings due to an extreme “need to exercise, and a fear that health will be lost or weight gained on a missed day of exercise. The pursuit of exercise is a way to enjoy the beauty of nature or spend time with friends to feel like you’re going to work or you’re stuck in a rut.
4. Dehydration
Sweat lost during sports activity must be replaced by equivalent quantities of fluid per hour of vigorous athletic activity. You or your child should drink fluids before during and after any practice or game. To prevent stomach cramps from drinking large quantities of fluids at once, drink about 1 cup of water (or a sports drink) every 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t drink carbonated and caffeine drinks.
The most common symptoms of dehydration are:
- Extreme thirst
- Weakness
- Headache or dizziness
- Dark-coloured urine
- Slight weight loss
Conclusion
Extreme sports activity can be dangerous. Never participate in a sports activity that you haven’t trained for. If you think you’d like to try an extreme sport, first get advice from friends and family members. You can also benefit from sports experts. If you’re going ahead, start tiny. Your wellbeing is always the most important thing.
