For parents, their primary and utmost concern is their children’s safety and wellbeing. That’s why lately, with growing scrutiny over the safety of football, many parents are reconsidering letting their children play the game.
It was recently reported that Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James had prohibited his two sons, aged 10 and 7 years old, from playing football, due to the safety risks the sport poses.
Because of this, the concept of preventive athletic screenings has been highlighted as a precaution for student and pro athletes.
Dr. Joshua Jacobi, a cardiology physician at Healthy Living Medical, is a triple board-certified and fellowship-trained in internal medicine, interventional cardiology and cardiovascular disease doctor who provides a series of tests for high school student athletes who actively participate in contact sports.
The screening includes a echocardiogram which is used to diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a cardiac anomaly which can lead to sudden death.
Dr. Jacobi’s goal with these screenings is to help catch any potential heart diseases or defects that might be exacerbated by high-contact sports.
Dr. Joshua Jacobi explains that in reality, “The reason we watch football is we’d like to see collision,” which is why it is important to put the focus not just on the player’s health, but also athletes’ gear.
“I think what they need to do is design helmets that are basically reusable but can crumple on impact. So they’re taking a lot of the force of the blow away from the head.”
Imagine, a football helmet designed by a doctor? Now that’s something a parent could feel safe about.
Dr. Joshua Jacobi can be reached at (626) 716-9206 or Healthy Living Medical at 301 S. Fair Oaks, Suite 404, Pasadena. Please visit www.thehealthylivingmedical.com.