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Researchers call for changes to cut the risk of head impact and injury in sports Main Image

Researchers call for changes to cut the risk of head impact and injury in sports

Thu 06 Oct 2022

Latest research shows the risk of neurodegenerative disease is more than double among former Scottish international rugby union players

The study published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry has found increased risk of neurodegenerative disease among former Scottish international rugby union players, prompting the researchers to call for strategies to cut the risks of head impact and traumatic brain injury across all sports, including in training.

“These concerning figures confirm what we have known for a long time,” said Luke Griggs, Interim Chief Executive at Headway.

“There is a clear link between repeated blows to the head and increased susceptibility to degenerative neurological conditions."

“Studies such as this one that looked at rugby players, or the FIELD study that found footballers were up to three and half times more likely to develop dementia, add to the growing body of evidence.

“The cardiovascular benefits to sport are clear. We should be encouraging people to be fit and active, but sport has to adapt in line with our increasing understanding of the short and long-term implications of head injuries. This means immediately reducing contact in training and identifying ways in which rules can be reasonably adapted to prevent head injuries.

“A great deal more needs to be done by sports associations to improve awareness and understanding of brain injury at all levels, in all sports. In essence, there needs to be an evolution of attitude, a complete change in culture to ensure we protect future generations from long-term neurological damage.”

You can read more about the research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

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