What will be the next steps in sports safety?

With all of the precautions being taken toward concussions and head injuries in sports, it seems like a next wave of precautionary actions can’t be too far down the line.
It seems that several sports are due for equipment changes that could make their athletes less likely to receive head injuries.
Soccer is a sport where it seems some sort of headgear has to be coming. There seems to be a high enough rate of head injuries in soccer where this issue needs to be explored. After seeing players strike heads, getting knees or elbows to the head, and seeing the compression on the skull when players strike the ball with their heads, there certainly are possible dangers to athletes’ skulls.
Hockey has taken steps to improve player safety, but there’s still room for improvement. When seeing the helmets hockey players use, compared to football helmets, leaves questions on why hockey helmets aren’t as elaborate. Seeing chin strips that don’t hold the hockey helmets tightly in place seems to be one place to start. If the helmets aren’t secured tightly, they are offering very little true protection.
Weight loss in wrestling is another issue begging for closer guidelines. There have been major steps taken to monitor wrestlers’ weight loss during the season, which is an admirable step. Just as concerning, but seemingly overlooked, is the weight loss by wrestlers before their seasons start.
It’s not uncommon to see a wrestler playing football or another fall sport, only to shed incredible amounts of weight between seasons. This is often done in a short span of time. If wrestling wants to truly consider the health of its athletes, it should monitor the weights of wrestlers year-round, not just in season. By watching the weight of wrestlers all year, unhealthy weight gains, and then weight losses, could be prevented.

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