We in America pay a lot of attention to head injuries and the prevention there of. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and many others now have to wear helmets to prevent brain injury or death.
So why in the world would anyone put themselves in harms way, and why would a civilized society not only allow it, but glorify in the gladiator-like sport of boxing.
For centuries we have all been amused by boxers who have ultimately become punch drunk (anyone remember the parodies by Jacki Gleason or Red Skeleton with the punch drunk ex-boxer?).
Sweden, who has been one of the few countries to minimize brain injury by enforcing regulations about extra protective headgear that must be worn in the ring, is now looking at what the results of being repeatedly hit in the head are after a fight.
The results are frightening. When one is hit in the head by another boxer, that is equal to 600 kilograms of power. Injury does result as indicated by protein in the cerebral spinal fluid of these boxers. The more hits, the more protein. The protein is a result of neurons being damaged or dying as a result of shear neuronal force.
So why do we allow such a brutal sport to continue to exist?
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