Sports Management Commons^™

The Impact Of Participation In Athletics On Neurological And Psychological Health And The Ability To Compete, Sean Burke

Writing Across the Curriculum

Through the analysis of data pooled from multiple studies, we identify the relationship between participation in athletics and the likelihood of developing a mental illness or brain injury and how this may impact the longevity of an athlete’s career. Using data from various studies, we find that the prolonged exposure to athletics results in a higher likelihood of developing a psychological or neurological illness both in the short and long term. Additionally, we find that this is often the result of accumulated injuries, both neurological, such as concussions, and physiological, such as tearing muscles or breaking bones. The results, however, …