Yup, repeated 'sub-concussive' hits are shown to be dangerous and a possible contributor to CTE. In Rugby they've tried to mitigate that with rules on hours of contact in training per week, among other new safety systems. The problem is in the meantime you've got to potentially sacrifice a few generations to see the data, especially since CTE often presents in later life.
The other complicating factor is that players are all so much bigger and faster these days, due to over-professionalisation and elite sport science, so safety that might've been applicable to guys in the 90's might not even be effective now.
Yeah. If you think of the actual collision zone too - the front of the skull. The frontal lobe regulates a lot of impulsivity and aggression. That said though, I think it's more cultural than biological in teen behaviour. The macho and drinking culture of the sports combines very badly.
Yup, repeated 'sub-concussive' hits are shown to be dangerous and a possible contributor to CTE. In Rugby they've tried to mitigate that with rules on hours of contact in training per week, among other new safety systems. The problem is in the meantime you've got to potentially sacrifice a few generations to see the data, especially since CTE often presents in later life. The other complicating factor is that players are all so much bigger and faster these days, due to over-professionalisation and elite sport science, so safety that might've been applicable to guys in the 90's might not even be effective now.
Yeah. If you think of the actual collision zone too - the front of the skull. The frontal lobe regulates a lot of impulsivity and aggression. That said though, I think it's more cultural than biological in teen behaviour. The macho and drinking culture of the sports combines very badly.