Boxers Extremely Susceptible to Brain Injury

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Boxing is one of the world’s oldest forms of sport.  Dating all the way back to the days of ancient Greece, formal boxing pits one individual against another in a punching match that can sometimes become rather brutal.  In modern professional boxing, emphasis is on putting on a good show en route to knocking your opponent completely out.  Fighters sometimes take a punishing beating to the head before collapsing to the floor of the ring.  This makes boxers extremely susceptible to permanent brain injury.  If you’re a boxer, a fan of boxing, or a parent considering letting your child box, you’re definitely going to want to consider a number of things regarding the danger inherent to the sport.

Research has shown that 80-90% of professional boxers will suffer some form of lasting brain injury.  In most cases the problems are rather mild, but nearly 25% of boxers will face severe, potentially debilitating brain damage.  Studies have produced evidence that repeated blows to an unprotected head slowly cause deterioration of brain cells and health.  When a fighter dies after a fight or develops dementia well after retiring, it is typically considered to be a result of the long term effects of routine beatings.

Many critics say these facts are unacceptable and claim that the safety of the fighters is overlooked and ultimately compromised due to the massive amounts of money that surrounds the sport.  Not only do fights generate a lot of cash, more people wager on boxing than nearly any other sport.  Fighter safety has been stepped up with the addition of ringside doctors and routine post-bout medical examinations.  Although this helps to address any immediate health concerns, long term conditions are hard to detect and can easily go unnoticed.

Some will say that amateur boxing is often safer because headgear is worn and a points-based system is used rather than fighters going for nothing but a knockout.  A number of researchers have indicated that headgear does not really help protect as much as most people assume.  Fighters will still be susceptible to long term injury due to the constant blows to the head rather than the force applied.  Children’s boxing leagues typically aren’t extremely hazardous because participants aren’t training every single day, but the risk is still there.

Before you step into the ring or allow your child to do so, you need to fully understand the risks you are taking.  You might feel fine tomorrow and next year, but sooner or later the repeated head trauma is bound to catch up with you.

Arturo Chuong is currently writing articles related to sporting, hiking, traveling, and business bags including backpacks, laptop cases, and functional luggage.