I am a fan of many sports, Hockey being my personal favorite. In a world filled with strong athletes and physical games, injuries are becoming a frequent occurrence. One of these injuries that have plagued the sporting world and media are concussions. Whether it is football, hockey, or nearly any contact sport, concussions are a constant presence.
Not only am I a hockey fan, I am a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Begin a fan of the Penguins means that I have seen a large amount of concussions. For nearly two years now, the Penguins line-up has been plagued with concussion related injuries. So, like any worried fan I became curious as to what exactly is a concussion. With this curiosity I sparked the topic for this project/website: Concussions and Their Impact on the Game of Hockey.
Before I began my research I had only a general understanding of concussions. I knew that concussions were caused after a hit or blow of some kind to someone's head. I also knew that physical/contact sports such as football and hockey created an increased risk for this type of injury. Being a hockey player myself, I had always heard of symptoms to watch out for in case I did take a wrong check into the boards causing a concussion. Common symptoms that I had always heard of were dizziness, nausea, and other light-headed symptoms. Other than those examples I did not have a great understanding of concussions and so my research began.
While researching my topic I wanted to learn many aspects of a concussion. I wanted to learn why it seemed that concussions were becoming a frequent occurrence. Where had concussion been ten years ago? It only seemed like we were just beginning to hear about concussion and their powerful, sometimes devastating impact. Was this a result of bigger stronger athletes, a more physical game perhaps? I was completely curious about this topic and what it meant for the future of hockey. Most importantly I wanted to learn the recovery process for this serious injury. Since I am a Penguins fan I had one thing on my mind. When will Sidney Crosby return to take the ice?
Through my many searches on information, the information gathered through the pages of this website come from a variety of sources. Most my research came from medical publications or websites. Of course I also relied on current hockey news to supply a current stance on concussion in the National Hockey League. I also relied closely on any publication or study conducted on concussion in professional hockey leagues.
After my research over this topic I have learned a great deal about Concussions. From my understanding we still have yet to learn all aspects of a concussion. Thanks to the many sport’s leagues and professional athletes that this injury affects it will continue to receive attention and medical breakthroughs. We are now hearing more and more about concussion because the leagues and medical personnel are now better equipped at recognizing the symptoms and causes. Concussions will continue to occur in contact sports until a rule-change or equipment change occurs. Many companies are looking into just that. I have learned a great deal about Concussions and their impact on the sport of hockey.
My research has given me a better understanding of the topic. Concussions are a very serious injury that needs to be treated immediately. Post-Concussion Syndrome is very real threat following a Concussion. These are continuous symptoms or relapses in the brain that occur after a concussion. If left attended or allowed to occur, many of these syndromes and disorders can become somewhat permanent. This is what the NHL primarily fears. It is this that has ended many players’ careers and threatens others. Concussions are just as much about the hit as it is the aftermath.
Included in this website are a variety of genres to help explore my topic. I have also attached an essay about my findings and research on concussion and their impact on hockey. My first genre is a Prezi slideshow following Sidney Crosby’s concussion. Sidney Crosby is a famous hockey player and considered to be one of the greatest of our time. He is one of the most recent great athletes in hockey to suffer a very serious concussion. This genre follows his experience and path toward recovery. My second genre is an article detailing Sidney Crosby’s path toward recovery. Lastly my third genre is a Wordle picture collage using words and names relating to concussions in hockey.
Thanks for visiting and enjoy,
Ben Hatchett
Who Suffered from a Concussion in Hockey?
Pat LaFontaine #16 suffered atleast six concussions.