Question: My teenage son wants to play football in high school, but I’m terrified he’ll get hurt. Am I just being a nervous mom or am I right to be worried?
Dr. Amen's Answer:
Many sports and recreational activities make your kids vulnerable to head injuries. New research shows that football players who experience one or more concussions display impaired thinking skills and signs of early dementia as they age.
At the Amen Clinics, we are conducting the largest-ever brain-imaging study of retired NFL players, and I can tell you that the preliminary results are very clear. Football is a brain-damaging sport. Personally, I would love to see schools eliminate tackle football, but I realize that football can be a big moneymaker for schools and universities, so that isn’t likely to happen. Because of this, schools and universities need to get serious about protection and treatment for brain injuries. When it comes to sports, I often tell my patients, “Golf is good, tennis is terrific, table tennis is the world’s best sport.” Head injuries are rare in these sports, and both tennis and table tennis can be highly aerobic.
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