Introduction to Blog
There was a time when football was not considered an Olympic sport. In fact, no official recognition was given to the sport until its inclusion as a demonstration sport at the 1900 Paris Olympics. It wasn't until 1904 that football became an official Olympic event. When the first modern-day international football competition was held in Scotland in 1872, it was actually played using round balls made out of leather. It wasn't until 1908 when the International Rugby Board (IRB) changed the rules to use a rubber ball. It wasn't until 1920 that soccer's governing body, FIFA, recognized football as a legitimate sport to play internationally. Since then, the popularity of this sport has increased dramatically over the past 100 years. One of the primary reasons for this rise in popularity is due to its physical nature. The game involves lots of running, jumping, tackling, blocking, and even hitting. The speed of the game is fast, and players have to be quick on their feet. The number of athletes who take part in this sport is increasing annually. According to the International Federation of Association Football, there were about 1.34 million registered members in 2006. By 2016, that figure had doubled to 2.71 million.
In the United States,
college football is one of the nation's most popular sports, with nearly 200
million tickets sold annually. In addition to the popularity of professional
football, college football has become the dominant rule. College football games
are among the highest-rated television programs in the country.
Effects of Football
There are many
positive effects of football on human health and fitness. Due to the high
speeds at which the game is played, football players experience lower rates of
heart disease than those who play other contact sports, such as baseball,
basketball and hockey.
According to the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, football causes less
head injuries than any other major sport, except boxing. As part of its
research, the institute conducted a study showing that the incidence of
concussions increased by 50% after the introduction of instant replay, despite
the fact that helmets became mandatory following the 1970 season. The institute
concluded that the increase was due to the speed of the game being faster,
making players more likely to make hard hits causing concussions.
Benefits of Football
Although many athletes suffer minor muscle strains, sprains, fractures, torn ligaments, or even concussion, these injuries are rarely serious enough to require surgery. By contrast, some types of brain injury sustained in football result in permanent neurological damage that may lead to death.
For example, repeated
blows to the head can cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a
neuro-degenerative disease characterized by progressive memory loss, personality
changes, depression, dementia, and suicidal tendencies. CTE is caused by the
accumulation of a protein called tau inside nerve cells of the brain. CTE was
first identified in American college and pro football players in 1999, and
since then researchers have documented similar findings in boxers, wrestlers,
ice hockey players, and others engaged in repetitive head trauma. Researchers
believe that CTE develops gradually over time, beginning with minor symptoms
that eventually progress to severe impairments.
Because of the risk of developing CTE, doctors advise football players to limit their exposure to the sport. However, they suggest that this advice should not deter them from playing football because the benefits of the exercise outweigh the risks. The effects football may have on human health and fitness include improved oxygenation of the blood, increase of lung capacity, strengthening of bones and muscles, increase of endurance, increased circulation system, increase of heart rate, reduction of cholesterol levels, increase of body fat burning, and decrease of muscle mass.
Point to be Noted
The effects of
football training on human health and fitness have been investigated for many
years by scientists around the world. Athletes who participate in team sports
require much greater amounts of oxygen than those who do not play competitive
sports. A study published in 2005 showed that athletes had higher levels of HDL
cholesterol, or good cholesterol, than non athletes. The researchers concluded
that it was likely due to increased physical activity.
A 2008 study reported
the results of testing players' blood samples after they played a game.
Researchers found that the red blood cells were enlarged and packed with
hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body. These changes
indicate that they received more blood flow to their muscles. Other studies
show that playing football causes people to lose weight. In fact, researchers
followed children over a period of 12 months. At the end of the study, the boys
who played football lost 4 percent of their body fat while the girls did not
change their body fat at all.
Another study tested
the cardiovascular responses of American college students before, during, and
after a season of football; they found that the average heart rate of football
players rose to about 200 beats per minute. However, no significant differences
occurred between these rates and those of the control group (people who did not
play football). Most surprisingly, the study found that the participants
recovered faster from exercise than expected.
A Misconception Removed
Although some
research suggests that football may be harmful to a person's health, others
argue that the effects are minimal. According to a review conducted in 2006,
the long-term risks of playing football are unknown.
The study shows that football players have an increased risk
of injury due to muscle strain which occurs during practice sessions. These
injuries lead to prolonged rehabilitation. The research showed that football
players were 1.8 times more likely to suffer from ligament or tendon tears than
non-athletes.
Footballers are often
subjected to repetitive movements, particularly throwing and catching actions.
These repetitive movements cause minor muscle strains which may lead to larger
injuries.
Objective of Sports and Games
Athletes who participate in football run the risk of developing certain injuries. These problems may occur if they don't train properly and/or prepare themselves physically for the rigors of this sport. As far as these injuries go, some of them tend to affect the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck, spine, and back. There are many conditions that can cause athletes to sustain a variety of musculoskeletal injuries. Among them are:
Tendinitis
This is an
inflammation of the tendon caused by repetitive strain or trauma. Athletes who
play contact sports are prone to this condition since it occurs commonly among
athletes participating in those activities.
Ligamentosis
This refers to any
injury that happens to a ligament. While playing football, athletes get injured
due to different types of collisions and tackles. Because of this, several
ligaments become strained or torn apart causing various degrees of pain.
Muscle strains
Football is a sport
where you need to exert yourself in order to win. You need to fight off the
opposing team and try to tackle them before they score points. If you fail to
do so, you end up getting tackled instead. Many times, these tackles result in
sprained muscles and pulled ligaments.
Sprains
Because of the high speeds involved with this sport, athletes often end up suffering from ankle sprains. However, they can also suffer from knee sprain, hamstring tear, thumb fracture, calf muscle tears, and shin splints. It is important to note that while football is a great way to stay fit and healthy, you should never engage in this activity when you are sick. You could sustain serious injuries such as brain hemorrhage, fractures, ruptured blood vessels, heart attack, stroke, and others.
Prevention & Treatment
The best thing you
can do to avoid injuries is to follow a routine training program.
Football players have higher levels of testosterone than non-footballers
Football is by far
one of my favorite sports to watch. I love watching football because it’s fast
paced, exciting, and full of adrenaline. When I was younger, I played football
and loved how it gave me a competitive edge over my peers. As I got older, I stopped
playing football but still kept close ties with the sport. While watching NFL
games recently, I noticed something interesting about the NFL athletes. There
were several players who looked extremely fit and toned. I wondered if those
guys were professional body builders or what? Sure enough, they turned out to
be football players.
Apparently, the game
of football helps increase testosterone in men. One theory says that the
repetitive movements of the sport triggers a release of testosterone in males.
Another study even found that football is associated with increased bone
density in both male and female players. A lot of research shows that
testosterone increases muscle mass. Testosterone is often called “the hormone
of sex” because it helps stimulate libido and sexual desire. Many studies have
shown that testosterone levels drop in middle age and that low levels are
linked to lower sperm count. High amounts of testosterone in men can help
improve fertility by increasing testicular size and sperm production.
While the
aforementioned studies show that football can benefit many aspects of our
bodies, there are some risks involved. Studies have found that players may
suffer from injuries such as ankle sprains, knee pain, hip strains, and
shoulder dislocation. Injuries can happen due to improper technique and
contact. Repeated hits to the head and repeated blows to the chest area can
lead to concussions. However, a lot of these issues can be avoided if you take
proper precautions. Make sure to warm up before practice and learn how to
protect yourself while playing football.
Football players also have higher levels of vitamins
Vitamins play a major
role in maintaining good health. Vitamin B is necessary for the body to make
DNA. It also helps convert food into energy and aids in cellular reproduction.
Vitamin D helps regulate our immune system and keeps bones strong. If you don't
get enough vitamin D, you may develop rickets or osteomalacia (bone softening).
As we mentioned
earlier, football players are at a higher risk for certain illnesses. Research
has found that they have higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and
Alzheimer's disease. Other studies have found that football players have less
body fat and greater resting metabolic rate than non-athletes. These findings
help explain their athletic performance.
The best way to
maintain good health while playing football is to eat well. Eat lots of fruits
and vegetables, drink plenty of water, and avoid smoking cigarettes. Also, try
to stay away from alcohol. Being active isn't the only factor that determines
whether you're going to live a long life. Nutrition is definitely a big factor.
So if you want to keep your body healthy, eat right!
