As Philly and New England head to the Super Bowl, the debate is growing about whether football may be too dangerous an activity for mainstream American sports, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
A new report by Boston University shows that simply being hit in the head repeatedly can lead to the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). A player doesn't even have to suffer a concession to become more at risk for CTE.
Dr. Christian Balldin, who studies CTE as a sports medicine expert at the San Antonio Orthopaedic Group, isn't surprised by the results.
"They have looked at professional soccer players in Germany and done MRI studies, and they are even showing evidence of CTE over time," he said.
The study would indicate that the steps all football programs have gone through to try prevent players from becoming at risk for CTE, like 'concussion protocol,' programs designed to help coaches and players recognized concussions, aren't enough to prevent CTE and its horrible side effects.
Researchers say it shows that teenaged high school and middle school football players, who aren't old enough to make potentially self destructive decisions like buying liquor or cigarettes, are being allowed to participate in an activity which by its very nature could cause very serious brain damage.
"A lot of concussions, more exposure in the media, more attention, I think this indicates the need to keep looking into it," Dr. Balldin said.
He said he is very worried about the appearence of CTE in European soccer players.
While soccer is a very physical sports, soccer players don't suffer from nearly the level of repetitive head injuries as do American football players of all ages.
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