Beyond the statistics: understanding the risk of brain injury in sport

Concerns about brain trauma in contact sports such as soccer and rugby are all too real, but sensational headlines can be misleading. By Christian Yates

- Christian Yates

More and more people are worried about the long-term effects of contact sports on the brain.

In soccer, studies have found that repeatedly heading the ball can lead to memory problems and an increased risk of serious brain diseases.

This has led to rules limiting heading the ball in youth leagues and calls to protect professional players in similar ways.

In American football, research shows a high number of former players have a brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This finding has prompted the National Football League (NFL) to change some rules and introduce better safety equipment.

Rugby, a sport known for its hard collisions, is also becoming more aware of head injuries. As a result, new rules require players to rest after a concussion - and there are stricter rules about preventing head contact during games.

Some older players are taking legal action because of the brain injuries they suffered. Lawyers are representing more than 500 former players from both rugby union and rugby league, claiming that repetitive head impacts during their careers caused long-lasting brain damage.

The lawyers argue that the sports' governing bodies failed to protect these former players from the effects of blows to the head.

Sampling problems?

A recent BBC article said that “almost two-thirds of the claimants in a concussion lawsuit against rugby league authorities” had symptoms of CTE. Two-thirds are a lot, but is it really that surprising?

It's important to remember that the players in this lawsuit are a self-selecting sample. They have been chosen for inclusion in the class action lawsuit precisely because they have evidence of brain damage.