Football and Brain Trauma

National Geographic has an interesting article on the dangers of football.  Along with the article, an interactive graphic allows you to see the magnitude and location 537 helmet impacts on a football player from the University of North Carolina.  Of the collisions, 417 produced greater that 10g's and two actually caused concussions.  The scientists hope to replicate the study with more students from different schools and even NFL players.

From NatGeo: Red = Collision greater than 80g and Black = Concussion

The powerful visual underscores the dangers of football at any level.  Seemingly insignificant head collisions add up to severe potential for brain damage later in life.  So many former NFL players suffer from early onset dementia that many decided to donate their bodies to science to get a better understanding of what actually happens to the brain.

Hopefully these studies can help us prevent more problems in the future through acceptance of rule changes and better technologies.