Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Research
Football is hugely popular sport. Whether you play competitively or just for fun, it
helps keep you fit and brings you the health benefits of other aerobic activities as
well as some strengthening exercises.
Football is popular with children and adults alike. It can be played in an amateur or
professional team or just casually at home in the garden or local park.
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played
by 250 million people in over 200 countries and dependencies, making it the world’s
most popular sport.
Football is an impact sport which, when played frequently, can be harsh on your
joints compared to other non-weight bearing activities like swimming or cycling. Be
sure to seek medical advice if you’re unsure if football is right for you or if you
experience any ongoing pain during or after playing.
If you would prefer a slower version then joining your local walking football group
may be the answer.
Health benefits of football
Football counts towards your recommended amount of aerobic activity. It brings
benefits including reducing your risk of certain chronic illnesses like:

heart disease

stroke

type 2 diabetes
Football will also help to improve your overall cardiovascular health and you should
see your endurance increase over time if it’s played frequently.
Football is a combination of running, walking, sprinting and kicking. This can bring
benefits including:

increased stamina

improved cardiovascular health

reduced body fat

improved muscle strength and tone
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research

increased bone strength

improved coordination
Playing regular sports is also thought to help improve symptoms of some mental
health issues like depression and stress. This can increase confidence and self-esteem
and can help to reduce anxiety.
Starting to play football
Football is not an expensive or prohibitive sport. All that’s needed is space and a ball.
Your local school, gym or leisure centre will most likely have facilities to play football.
Check your local authority or leisure trust website or contact them directly to find out
more details.
Football and the Brain: Lifestyle
Impacts Health
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There is growing evidence linking football and brain disease.
These findings not only affect the health and well-being of professional players and
their families, they have also left parents questioning whether they should prohibit
their children from playing football and other contact sports. Enter the Football
Players Health Study at Harvard University, the largest and most comprehensive
study of living former players, with more than 3,700 participants to date. Together,
Harvard researchers are focusing on overall player health, including prevention,
diagnostic, and treatment strategies for the most common and severe conditions
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
affecting professional football players. These include neurological issues—chronic
traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), concussion, mental illness, and memory loss—as
well as ACL tears, arthritis, heart conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, pain, and
inflammation
Discover the latest news on the brain from Harvard Medical School
Researchers are revealing more about how the brain and nervous system
work– and translating those insights into new treatments
According to the Director of the Football Player’s Health Study, Alvaro Pascual-Leone,
MD, PhD, who is also the associate dean for clinical and translational research at
Harvard Medical School, and chief of the Division of Cognitive Neurology at Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the question of football’s impact on the
brain can only be answered by studying the whole person. “Brain health is the
number one step toward overall health. We cannot think of the brain as an isolated
organ that’s disconnected from the heart or joints. We need to understand how
specific injuries interact with other organs in such a way that they affect the player’s
overall health,” he says.
A host of factors ranging from exercise routines and muscle-building activities to size
and risks for diseases, like hypertension and diabetes, are important considerations
for understanding the complex interaction between football’s destructive aspects and
beneficial ones and uncovering why some players develop problems and others do
not.
One pioneering study has uncovered a direct link among traumatic brain injury (TBI),
Alzheimer’s disease, and CTE. Led by co-senior author Kun Ping Lu, MD, PhD, chief of
the Division of Translational Therapeutics at BIDMC and professor of medicine at
HMS, and Xiao Zhen Zhou, MD, assistant professor of medicine at BIDMC, the study
shows that just hours after TBI, a protein known as tau can become misshapen at the
site of injury in brain cells, triggering a cascade of destructive events leading to
widespread brain damage.
One pioneering study has uncovered a direct link among traumatic brain injury (TBI),
Alzheimer’s disease, and CTE.
In response, the research team has developed a potent antibody that selectively
detects and destroys the toxic protein and restores brain function in mice that have
experienced TBI. “The dream scenario, though we’re nowhere near it yet, would be to
give an injection or tablet to prevent the brain damage,” says Pascual-Leone.
In the long term, pursuing basic and translational research on the underpinnings of
football-related brain injury is an important step in treating injuries. The Football
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Players Health Study is looking to identify specific molecular and cellular conditions
that follow injury and make causal links between these biological events and the
manifestation of symptoms in the clinic. Investigators hope that a sophisticated
characterization of concussion sequelae will propel better diagnostics and point to
better targets for therapeutic intervention that may repair acute injury sooner and
prevent chronic disease onset.
The significance of the Football Players Health Study extends well beyond the
gridiron. Accident victims, troops injured in explosions, people with Alzheimer’s
disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases, and youngsters across the country
who love the sport stand to benefit greatly from the research.
“Your lifestyle impacts your health, whether you play football or not. If we are able to
understand how specific lifestyles impact the health of specific individuals, we will
learn something that will benefit former and current football players, future
generations of professional athletes, and all of us, regardless of our professions,” says
Pascual-Leone.
Orna Feldman is a freelance science writer based in Massachusetts.
The Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute hosts a public lecture series to
continue its efforts to educate the public on the latest scientific discoveries in
neuroscience and translate how these discoveries are relevant in our daily lives.
Since its founding in 1990, the Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute has helped
advance neuroscience at Harvard Medical School by promoting public awareness of
the importance of brain research and by helping to fund research at the School's
Department of Neurobiology.
The Surprising Health Effects of Watching Football: Can It
Be Detrimental?
This weekend is the Manchester City and
Manchester United FA Cup Final. As we have
a clinic in the heart of Manchester, we want
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
to raise awareness of the lesser-known
impacts football can have to your health.
Football is a hugely popular sport in the UK, with millions of fans across the country and while
watching football can be an enjoyable experience for many, it's important to recognise that
certain factors associated with the sport can potentially have negative impacts on your health. In
this blog, we will explore some of the overlooked risks related to watching football and their
potential effects on your well-being.
1. Increased Blood Pressure due to Stress: Football matches often evoke intense emotions, and
the stress and excitement associated with supporting your favourite team can lead to a
temporary increase in blood pressure. Frequent exposure to high-stakes matches or closely
contested games can heighten this effect. Individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions
should be particularly cautious and manage their stress levels effectively. When an individual's
blood pressure rises, the chances of a stroke or heart attack are increased. - At Pall Mall we
offer 24 & 48 hour blood pressure monitoring with no referral required and appointments as
little as next day to accurately measure how hard your heart is working.
2. Unhealthy Snacks at the Stadium: When at the football grounds you are surrounded by a wide
range of tempting and often unhealthy food options. High-calorie snacks, greasy fast food, and
sugary fizzy beverages contribute to an increased risk of weight gain and elevated cholesterol
levels that can over time cause more serious health related problems in the future. It’s important
to have a balanced diet and enjoy unhealthy snacks in moderation, opting for healthier food
choices before the game or limiting indulgence can help mitigate these risks.
3. Shouting and Voice Strain: Supporting your team at the game often involves cheering,
chanting, and shouting. While this enthusiasm is an important part of the football experience, it
can strain your vocal cords, leading to hoarseness or even loss of voice. To avoid this, you should
stay hydrated and avoid shouting for the whole 90 minutes to help protect your voice while still
enjoying the atmosphere of the match.
4. Emotional Stress and Mental Well-being: Football matches can bring out strong emotions, and
the outcomes of games can greatly impact fans' mood, positively and negatively. It's crucial to
remember that at the end of the day, football is just a game. While it's natural to feel personally
invested when your football team loses, it's important to be mindful of the potential negative
impacts on your health and behaviour. Lots of people feel emotions such as anger and sadness
after their team loses which causes them to act out of line. Depression and stress can have a
significant health impact. If you are experiencing any mental health struggles that are triggered
due to football, it's important to reach out to either a friend, family member or professional for
help. Don’t forget, At Pall Mall we offer same day and next day private GP appointments if you
need to seek medical advice urgently.
At Pall Mall we recently ran a competition, giving away free executive travel down to Wembley
for the FA cup final. With the trains on strike the day of the big game, we wanted to take the
added stress away from the big day for one lucky group of fans. When arriving home all winners
will receive an invite into our Manchester clinic for a free Pall Mall Health screen to ensure they're
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
as 'fit as a footballer'. - Make sure you're following us on instagram @pallmallmedical to be
involved in our next competition!
About
Football can have a major impact on mental health.
It is thought to affect emotions, relationships,
identity and self-esteem. In a recent study, one in
four fans said football was one of the most
important things in their lives.
Escape
When time is at a premium for most people, leisure activity and entertainment fulfils the
psychological need to escape from the stresses and strains of life and go into another world for a
period of time. The time set aside for football is often sacrosanct and provides an opportunity to
play.
Anticipation
It has been suggested that the attraction of sports events over other forms of entertainment is
the combination of comfort in ritual with unpredictable outcome. People can look forward to the
comfort of the familiar with the thrill of the unknown.
Basking in reflected glory
When your team does well, it prompts feelings of happiness, well-being and collective euphoria.
Fans ‘bask in reflected glory’ (BIRG). It has been suggested that ‘BIRGing’ improves mood both in
individuals and in communities. If a team loses a match, however, it does not necessarily have a
negative impact on mental health.
Catharsis
It is thought that watching football may be cathartic. It has been suggested that the atmosphere
of a live football match is socially inclusive. Fans step into their team identity by wearing clothes
and using language they would not usually use in their everyday lives. They can behave in ways
that encourage ‘a cathartic release of tension’ through shouting, screaming, gesturing and
chanting. Pent up internalised feelings and intense emotion such as frustration annoyance or
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
sadness can be vented in a socially acceptable way. Men can express and release internalised
emotion that they don’t feel able to express in other ways.
Young men
For young men in particular, the opportunity to externalise tension and emotion is important to
maintaining health. Young men are at the highest risk of suicide – it is the most common cause
of death for young men under the age of 35. This age group is one of the most dominant in
football crowds across the country.
Cutting off reflected failure
Sometimes fans feel a sense of pessimism prior to a match. But this can also have a positive
overall impact in that it can unite fans. A refusal to believe that things might go well is thought to
protect against disappointment. This has been referred to as ‘CORF’ or cutting off reflected
failure. Having a shared moan after a defeat is also another way of bonding
Identity
Watching and supporting football provides an opportunity for connection and belonging in an
age where technology means there is less and less direct physical interaction.
According to ‘social identity theory’, fans separate groups and teams into social categories and
identify with the group/team to which they see themselves belonging. Geography or family
tradition usually informs which team someone supports.
Supporting a football club, watching a live game or gathering to watch a match on television are
all ways of participating in group activity with people who share the same values and interests.
This provides a sense of belonging, identification and inclusion within a larger group. It creates a
tangible social identity. Identification with the players as people and the club also promote a
sense of belonging.
Because this belonging is a key part of their identity, people will continue to support their team
even if the team lets them down. This would suggest that the psychological value derived from
this social identity is greater than that derived from a good or bad performance.
Social identity theory suggests that maintenance of a positive self-identity entails developing
comparisons between the ‘in-group’ and ‘out-group’. A fan’s team is the in-group and the
opposing team is the out-group. These rivalries strengthen a sense of identity and the sense of
‘sticking together’ through thick and thin. Supporting your team is a commitment to the team
and to the other fans.
It has also been found that people perceive fellow fans to be superior to other fans. They are
thought to be more committed, enthusiastic, objective and analytical. By association, this
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
‘superiority’ enhances the person’s own self-esteem, if you belong to this group, you must also
be more committed, enthusiastic and have greater powers of objectivity and analysis. (Football
provides an opportunity for every fan to be the ‘expert’ pundit.
However, the stronger the identification with the team, the stronger the emotional reaction to
wins and losses and the more extreme the highs and lows.
High identifiers
For most fans, football is a part of their lives. However, for some it can become the main focus. In
the US, these people are referred to as ‘high identifiers’ – people whose identity is intertwined
with a team and who will have extreme emotions in the face of defeat. Because identification with
the team is a central component of the self-identify of high-identified fans, the team’s
performances have strong implications for their self-worth – they are ‘part’ of the team.
High identifiers on the losing side can experience significant psychological problems. Studies
have found losing fans can become anxious and irritable, and experience sleep problems and
headaches. Some fans can become withdrawn and anti-social after a loss.
Violence
Commentators have suggested that for some fans, supporting football provides an opportunity
to re-enact the ritual of battle. However, this can be taken too far and lead to serious acts of
violence, differentiating the fan from the ‘football hooligan’. The available evidence on hooligan
offenders suggest that they are generally young, in their late teens or 20s, although some
‘leaders’ are older. It has been suggested that initially much behaviour is simply ritualistic and
non-violent verbal abuse and threats. However, ‘core hooligans’ are more interested in fighting or
‘running’ rival groups.
Football can be an attractive venue for testing masculinity. It is thought by some that particular
groups of young men may be socialised into a set of standards that value and publicly reward
assertive and openly aggressive expressions of masculinity. They are expected to be ‘manly’ and
able to ‘look after themselves’. They ‘defend’ their own, their gang’s, and their town’s reputation
against the intruders.
Boredom and limited opportunity for fulfilment in other areas may also play a role. The ‘social
drama’ of the fight and the opportunity it provides for competition, achieving ‘honour’ and
inflicting shame on opponents may motivate violent behaviour. Former hooligans have said that
fights can be anticipated and enjoyed because of the challenge and the way it makes them feel.
Some fighters describe the football action as being ‘better than sex’.
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
This has been termed as a ‘flow’ or ‘peak’ experience – an intense, shared emotionality, an
outpouring of joy or sadness, and a strengthening of a common social identity. However, unlike
non-violent fans, the hooligan rejects the vicarious role of football supporter for the more active
and ‘satisfying’ role of direct participant in confrontations.
There is a view that football is a replacement for pack hunting.
Heavy drinking too is often a key element in a ‘good day out’. Many violent offences by football
fans are related to alcohol.
Hormones
Watching sports such as football have an impact on testosterone levels. Studies have found that
fans experience the same hormonal surges and physiological ebbs and flows during a game as
they might if they were on the field.
Relationships
Having strong relationships is known to be a key factor in the maintenance of positive mental
health. Football plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of social and familial
relationships. Over 90% of people who attend matches go with friends, family or colleagues.
Football provides a platform to communicate with others, gossip (known to protect mental wellbeing), exchange views, and bond through celebration and commiseration. It helps people
maintain relationships by providing a reason to meet up regularly. Football is a social leveller
which allows people from different social and cultural backgrounds to connect. There is always
something to talk about or have a view on. It is particularly helpful for people who are shy or who
find it difficult to connect with people on other levels.
Football strengthens bonds between family members, most notably between fathers and sons.
Many parents see football as an important part of their relationship with their children. In one
study it was found that almost every fan was taken to their first match by their father.
Time set aside to watch football is done so deliberately and becomes an expected routine. It
generates conversation and provides an opportunity for parent and child to catch up. It creates
and protects ‘quality time’. This quality time often continues long after children have grown up
and so maintains parent/child relationships throughout life.
Keep it in perspective
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Football only has a positive effect when it is kept in perspective. An over-reliance on or obsession
with football can limit the development of other interests and have a negative impact on
male/female relationships and may divert attention away from other family responsibilities.
Football might have an even more beneficial impact on mental health if more fans took to the
field, as exercise is known to have a positive effect on our mental well-being.
The pros and cons of playing football
Football is a dangerous sport. And though there are risks involved,
people still love the game. Michael Behr, M.D., an orthopaedic
surgeon, gives us the rundown on the pros and cons of playing
football.
The pros of playing football
Football requires conditioning and strength training, which are
excellent forms of exercise and good for cardiovascular health.
“You do a lot of different types of training when you participate in
football, from sprints to distance running to interval training to
weight lifting,” says Dr. Behr. “So, it’s really a good overall health
benefit to someone in any age group.”
Playing football is also a great way to improve concentration.
“It forces you to focus on what you’re doing,” explains Dr. Behr.
“Otherwise, you can be a casualty. So, you can’t afford to let down
your guard.”
And perhaps most importantly, football teaches the value of
teamwork, leadership and having a good work ethic.
“You learn time management, you learn discipline,” says Dr. Behr.
“You learn how to deal with losses and disappointments. And those
types of things are all really critical to youngsters as they get older
and have to apply that to real-life situations.”
The cons of playing football
But playing football isn’t without its risks.
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
According to the National High School Sports-Related Injury
Surveillance Study, more than 500,000 high school football injuries
occurred between the 2014 and 2015 school year.
In 2017, thousands of pro-football players agreed to a settlement
with the National Football League over serious health conditions
associated with concussions.
“Regardless of how safe we make it, it’s still a dangerous sport,”
explains Dr. Behr. “One of the hardest things for a team is to get
through the season without people getting injured.”
Common injuries include:
 Ankle
sprains
 Hamstring
 Meniscus
injuries
tears
 Concussions
And while these injuries can range from mild to severe, they can
sometimes be fatal.
“We’ve had a number of deaths around the country of kids who
have had head injuries from a tackle that have led to death,” says
Dr. Behr. “And of course that’s the worst thing that anyone could
ever imagine. There are also the unknown cause of deaths where
kids play and die from congenital problems that they weren’t aware
of. The most common being an enlarged heart. But some conditions
are difficult to pick up on a routine preseason physical.”
Playing football safely
There is an ongoing effort in the arena of sports medicine and
through football leagues to try to reduce the risk of injuries.
“At the high school level, we now have physicians that are on the
sidelines,” says Dr. Behr. “Schools that don’t have a physician on the
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
sidelines usually have a trainer, and they can evaluate players
immediately.”
And the NFL passed several new safety rules this year, including
allowing an injury spotter to stop the game if a player appears to
have suffered from a brain injury.
“There are risks involved with playing football,” says Dr. Behr. “But I
think that’s part of the attraction. I think if you got rid of all the
risks, you would in fact take away a lot of the reason it’s attractive to
so many people.
Next lesson research
Causes : Positive Impact:
1. Physical Fitness: Football promotes cardiovascular health,
strength, and endurance through its physically demanding
nature, contributing to overall fitness.
Negative Impact:
1. Injury Risk: Football carries a risk of injuries, including
concussions and musculoskeletal issues, which can have both
short-term and long-term consequences on health.
Consequences :
Positive Impact:
1. Improved Physical Health: Regular participation in football
contributes to better cardiovascular health, enhanced fitness,
and weight management.
Negative Impact:
1. Risk of Injuries: Football is associated with an increased risk of
injuries, ranging from minor sprains to severe issues like
concussions, which can have lasting consequences on health.
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Shanidu Fernando 9A Research
Sources for Checkpoint Lesson 6
B. Michael (2024) The pros and cons of playing football (Online)
https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/pros-and-cons-of-playing-football
(Access Date: 14/02/2024)
(2022) Football (Online) https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/keepingactive/activities/football/ (Access Date: 14/02/2024)
B. Alexis (2021) Is Football or Badminton Associated with More Positive Affect? The
Links Between Affects and Sports Club Membership Among French Adolescents
(Online)
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.735189/f
ull (Access Date: 14/02/2024)
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