Head injuries should never be taken lightly. No matter if it is a run-of-the-mill headache or a full-blown concussion, everyone should take conditions of their head seriously.
Many of us have seen the reports and studies that have led the NFL to protect players against concussions over the last several years, but though the league is trying to safeguard players’ heads, what about their legs?
It seems that more and more NFL athletes have been going down with one of the most dreaded phrases in sports: the “knee injury.”
Knee injuries and the tearing of the ACL or MCL make for a painful experience that oftentimes sidelines a player for months.
That spells doom in the eyes of fans. For example, If a star athlete like Adrian Peterson, a running back on the Minnesota Vikings, goes down like he did in 2011, fans tend to lose hope.
One thing that comes from increased protection of the head is that players need to find new, legal ways to bring down their opponent. An athlete can’t always be in a position to make the proper tackle: putting their head into an opponent’s chest and driving through him cleanly.
One of the best ways to hit is by aiming for the legs — a risky and dangerous move. When done correctly, it won’t often lead to injury. But when done a split-second too late or while lunging for a cutting opponent, players tend to get hurt.
The hits aren’t always to blame. Nonetheless, I always felt my legs were especially exposed while playing the game for much of my childhood and teenage years.
I was nervous about them because the only thing I was given to protect them was a foam oval. The pad does a fine job of protecting the front of the knee, but protection for the side of the knee is noticeably lacking. A good portion of the sides of the knee is exposed to taking most of the force of a hit, seemingly increasing the chance of injury.
Granted, you can buy braces to protect the joints, but those aren’t comfortable or affordable for some.
From personal experience, the gear given to many players isn’t enough. I suffered a knee injury during my junior year of high school, which resulted in months of physical therapy and having to use crutches to get around.
Although wearing pads over the entirety of the knee may be a bit much, it’s honestly surprising to me that no changes have been made to the gear football players are given. Something better than a foam pad has to exist to protect the knees of not only professional and collegiate athletes but also our younger siblings.
A solution might not come soon, and the NFL should not go back to allowing hits leading with the head or anything of that nature. Something such as a re-evaluation of the equipment used could prove beneficial for athletes’ legs.
I love football, and I especially love the hits, but the pain of not only an injury itself but also the disappointment of missing out on a season or more, in my mind, signals a call for change.
@PaulHolden33
ph553412@ohiou.edu
