Catastrophic brain injury in football players caused by style of play

The Wall Street Journal Health Blog reports a study from the University of North Carolina finding that a growing number of football players, especially in high school, are suffering from catastrophic brain injuries.

While the number of kids with catastrophic brain damage is small — 13 out of about 1.1 million high-school players — it’s the highest tally since the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at UNC started collecting the brain-injury stats in 1984, says Dr. Frederick  Mueller, the center’s director and an emeritus professor of exercise and sports science.

According to the Journal, more players are sustaining severe brain injury because of the “style of play.” The Health Blog reports that, “they’re using their heads more,” perhaps modeling their play after the hard-hitting pros.

Read the full Health Blog report.