LONDON, United Kingdom – Former skilled footballers are virtually three-and-a-half instances extra more likely to be identified with dementia than the final inhabitants, in keeping with a research commissioned by the English Football Association (FA) and Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).
The findings of the research, performed by the University of Nottingham, help earlier analysis that former footballers could also be at larger threat of neurocognitive illness.
The new report states that 2.8 % of retired skilled footballers of their research reported medically identified dementia and different neurodegenerative illness in comparison with 0.9 % of the final inhabitants.
Dr Charlotte Cowie, the FA’s head of drugs, stated: “The FOCUS study worked with an established group of former professional footballers that were participating in research and was able to review their brain health, and it supports the previous findings in the FIELD study which suggest an increased risk for neurodegenerative disease in former professional footballers than in the general population.
“This is an especially advanced space of our sport, however we’re dedicated to working collectively with our stakeholders to assist develop our data on this space by way of additional medical and skilled evaluation.”
The Football Association has been criticized by campaigners for not doing enough to aid former players now suffering from neurocognitive disease.
But it said it had introduced “industry-leading” concussion guidelines which has restricted heading practice in training and banned deliberate headers from under-12s level.
“The FA has led the best way in taking steps to assist cut back potential threat components inside the sport (together with) establishing industry-leading concussion tips,” the FA stated in an announcement.
Awareness about concussion in sport has grown since America’s National Football League agreed to a $1 billion settlement in 2015 to resolve 1000’s of lawsuits by former gamers affected by neurological issues.
This has prompted quite a lot of sports activities world wide, together with soccer, rugby union, rugby league and cricket, to strengthen their concussion protocols. — Agence France-Presse
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
