Yes -- there are several groups dedicated to keeping track of catastrophic injuries and changing this problem. As you noticed brain and spinal cord injuries are common in sports. Football tops the list for the most dangerous in terms of major injuries for men. Cheerleading and gymnastics account for the highest number among women.

The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research works together with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission to collect information about injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has a National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

In addition the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations review stats about injuries every year. They publish the rule books for each sport. The goal is to promote safe play.

On the other side of things, groups like the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment are working to develop safer equipment. Helmets have been greatly improved over the past 40 years. The number of fatal head injuries has declined as a result. Riddell, Inc. continues to test new helmet designs. They are currently working to make a helmet with better protection for the side of the face.

Other steps have been taken over the years, too. For example, spear tackling (using the crown of the head to tackle a player) has been banned since 1976. That decision reduced the number of very serious neck injuries from 34 in 1976 to three in 1992.

The area of greatest concern and focus now is deaths from heat exhaustion and overexertion during training camps. We should see some guidelines for this if they aren’t already published.