Thesis Progress

Housekeeping items about senior thesis and the college process was discussed today, so I spent some time perusing the various documents which included the overview of what is expected in this class.

I have looked into more information about an ACL injury prevention program called PEP that focuses on specific warm up routines that strengthen the ligament from structural damage.

Link to PEP Program Study: http://www.la84.org/pep-program-study/

I am also looking into spinal injuries as well because recently NFL running back David Wilson retired at age 23 due to a neck related spinal injury. This has been seen before with NFL safety Nick Collins early retirement also due to a neck related spinal injury.

Thesis Overview

In sports, it is safe to say that the equivalent to "break a leg" is "tear an ACL".

Sam Bradford, quarterback for the St. Louis Rams, just re-tore the ACL in his left knee during a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on August 23. So not only did he miss nine games last season, but now he will miss the entire 2014 season with a torn ACL in the same knee. In an industry that is so dependent on the play of the quarterback, it may very well have been Bradford's last game in the NFL.

I bring up Bradford (one of many, ex. Sean Lee) to show the importance of my thesis topic. To restate, I would like my thesis topic to revolve around injury prevention in modern day sports as more and more athletes suffer from career ending (and sometimes fatal) injuries than ever before. This is a major problem because most modern day athletes do not receive a college degree and therefore are limited in their life after sports. 

My goal is to come up with a prototype helmet (for concussions) or brace (for tears in the ligaments of the knee; I am not limiting myself to just concussions and knee tears) or come up with ways to increase the chance of preventing such injuries from occurring.

*Even my football team, the Denver Broncos, are in danger as their star wideout, Wes Welker, has sustained 3 concussions over the past 10 months, with the most recent one occurring while he was wearing a specially designed helmet to protect him from blows to the head.