How Tennessee Is Protecting Young Athletes From Traumatic Brain Injuries

by

Michael D. Ponce

Last Updated June 19, 2024 In Personal Injury

Fall is in the air in Middle Tennessee and for many student athletes, that means it’s the beginning of the high school football season. While this can be a wonderful pastime, it can also put players at serious risk of injuries.

One of the most common medical emergencies experienced by football players today are traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Estimates show sports are the second leading cause of TBIs in athletes between ages 15 -24, with football accounting for almost 30 percent of those injuries.

So what’s being done to protect our student athletes? An article from WKRN 2 News explains the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association has created policies designed to ensure players get the treatment they need when TBIs are suspected. The rules state that if a player takes a blow to the head and complains of the symptoms of a TBI—including headache, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion—he or she will be pulled from play. A medical professional must then clear the individual before they can return to the field.

Many coaching staffs are also teaching “heads up” hitting techniques, while others are using new helmet technology to identify potentially devastating blows to the head.

At Ponce Law, our team of Nashville personal injury lawyers are excited to see coaches, schools, and parents working together to protect our state’s young athletes, and we hope to see further advancements to prevent TBIs on sports fields in the future.