New youth football guidelines for injuries, safety released by the American Academy of Pediatrics

Football is one of the favorite pastimes of most Americans and is deeply embedded in the culture. The popularity of NFL and the Super Bowl is far-reaching with the help of both the mainstream and social media. But the sport has also gotten some bad rap because of the risk of injuries players sustain from playing it. Children with their juvenile and underdeveloped bodies are very much vulnerable.

In this light, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has come up with recommendations to ensure the safety of players while playing American football, according to Live Science.

In order to make the sport safer for young athletes, the AAP recommends (1.) officials and coaches to strictly enforce the rules of proper tackling, and must impose the zero tolerance for illegal, head-first hits; (2.) players to make out for themselves whether the benefits of playing football outweigh the risks of possible injury; (3.) the introduction of more non-tackling leagues so that the youth can have an option where they can enjoy the game without risking being injured; and (4.) skilled athletic trainers should be present during the games to help reduce the number of injuries for players.

Greg Landry, MD, FAAP, a co-author of the policy statement and member of the AAP Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, talked about one of the paradoxes in youth football. He said that because of the risk of injuries, it is better to prohibit tackling until a certain age. But, when you allow tackling at a latter age and players are stronger and bigger, it could lead to higher chances of injuries. In this regard, the league has a very crucial role to play in preaching proper tackling technique and skills.

The AAP is concerned about the numerous cases involving professional football players who went on to develop chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is a kind of brain degeneration. It is, therefore, imperative to protect the players against any form of head impact that mat lead to long-term brain injury, Forbes noted in an article.

"Removing tackling would dramatically reduce the risk of serious injuries to players, but it would fundamentally change the sport of football," said co-author William Meehan, III, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness.

"Parents and players will need to decide whether the health risks associated with tackling are outweighed by the recreational benefits of the game. The AAP encourages athletes to continue playing organized sports, while supporting coaches and officials in their work to reduce these injuries," he said.