How to Prevent Concussions in Football

Concussions are a mild type of brain injury caused by a blow to the head and are common in a contact sport such as football. Though a concussion is not life threatening, several concussions over time can cause permanent brain damage. This possibility of permanent brain damage is why it's important to take steps to prevent concussions in football.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Properly fitting helmet
• Mouth guard

1. Get a certified athletic trainer to fit football helmets for all players. Many concussions occur because of helmets that are improperly fitted so it is important to have a certified athletic trainer fit the helmets rather than players or coaches.

2. Wear the proper mouth guard. If a football player is hit near the chin or jaw, the mouth guard will absorb most of the shock of the blow and help prevent the player from losing consciousness. A loss of consciousness after a blow to the face can signal a concussion.

3. Reinforce the importance of the proper tackling technique. Instruct players to lead with the body when tackling and not the head to cut down on the chance of getting a concussion.

4. Strictly enforce helmet contact rules that restrict the types of tackles that can cause concussions such as face-to-face tackling and spearing. Enforcing these rules helps prevent players from making illegal tackles and lessens the instances of concussions.
   

Tips & Warnings

• Educate players about the damaging effects of multiple concussions. Receiving one concussion makes the player susceptible to Post Concussion Syndrome or Second Impact Syndrome, which can lead to serious long-term brain injury.
• Never allow players to go back on the field after an injury. Even if the player says he is capable of playing, keep them off the field to prevent further injury if they've suffered a blow to the head.

Resources

• Learn to check if a helmet is fitted properly at WebMD.
• Get helmet contact rules for football.

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