(NewsNation) — A new study conducted by the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center shows that the degenerative brain disease is shockingly common among kids in contact sports.
The study looked at athletes who were exposed to repetitive blows to the head during their experience in youth, high school and college sports. It found that around 40% of young athletes who had experienced repetitive head impacts and later died under the age of 30 had CTE.
Former NFL quarterback Lester Ricard Jr. joined “NewsNation Now” to discuss the wide prevalence of CTE among professional football players and those young athletes studied by Boston University.
“It’s an unfortunate statistic. I’m a product of football. I’ll turn 40 this year. Let’s hope I can get there with no brain injuries,” he said.
He acknowledged that as a former professional football player, developing a major health problem is a worry he carries for himself and his 6-year-old son.
“Do you risk your child or a grandson or a nephew playing that prospective sport … you could be experiencing CTE one day. That’s the balance that we’re still trying to figure out in this world,” he said.
While professional football has come under particular scrutiny, Boston University’s research shows that the ailment was found in players in various sports, including not only football but also ice hockey, rugby, soccer and wrestling.