Sleep Apnea and Football players?

[SleepyRaider10]

I have been reading and doing research (internet) and noticed alot of former and younger NFL, NCAA football players dying as of late? Sleep Apnea is the major reason? High Blood pressure, overweight etc....but it all comes back to S.A. ? Wondering why these players don't get checked? Falling asleep during practice or school all the time is not normal? Money cannot be an issue...? College football players are covered by the college they play for, so no reason there? JM .02

[Joe50]

I would think the size of the neck might also be a big factor in their problem. Football is also a very macho game so I think it would be hard for aspiring players and professionals to admit that they were anything less than Superman thus no treatment.

[kevincoop]

Yeah, I think that Reggie White's death brought sleep apnea to the center of alot of people's attention. I agree that the neck size is a factor. Who knows, pro atheletes lead a different lifestyle also. There is no telling what other drugs or alcohol could be contributing to sleep apnea. Not saying that was a contribution to his death. I guess no matter how in shape you are, you cant exercise the muscles in your airway to keep them from closing off in your sleep. Or maybe there is, I'm gonna do an exercise video on a sleep apnea prevention workout. Only $99.99 per copy.

[sleepmba]

Sleep Doc's look at neck size, BMI (ratio of weight to height), amongst other things when it comes to an individual being a candidate for sleep apnea.

I'm surprised not more is being done or at least hear about things being done with big guys in football. If an athlete has sleep apnea and is treated. The treated version of him will be more alert and have a higher energy level. Why not naturally "supercharge" your performance rather than using medications or using drugs?

[oscar98]

My son is a heading into his senior year of high school and is a football player. His father and I both have sleep apnea so what do you suppose the likelihood our son will end up with it too is? Pretty good I'd say.
Football has done a wonderful job of keeping him in shape but this past year he changed positions to running back and the coach really started working on his upper body strength. He is 5'10 and 200 pounds of muscle and as a result of the workouts now has a thick muscular neck. He now also has daytime sleepiness. (falls asleep at school if given the chance, falls asleep in the backseat of the car after no more then a few minutes in the car, has started taking naps)

I'm convinced he is showing signs of sleep apnea but he and his dad are not so convinced. I'm also certain football conditioning has been the trigger.

[Wolfhound668]

When I got my UPPP done a couple of years ago the ENT and I got into a talk about neck sizes. He told me back then that there probably wasn't a player in the NFL that wasn't living with OSA but they never got checked for it.

[Joe50]

I would think that most professional players don't get help because the owners and their reps might use anything they find out about them to disqualify the player from being hired. Case in point, when the GM of Miami who asked the guy they were thinking about recruting if his mother was a prostitute. I can see where such an ignorant person would try to make something terrible out having a very treatable problem like OSA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/ne ... id=5140313

[Tielman]

Sleep Doc's look at neck size, BMI (ratio of weight to height), amongst other things when it comes to an individual being a candidate for sleep apnea.

As far as I'm concerned, neck size will only give you about a 25 % chance of determining if someone has sleep apnea, yet it seems to be the predominant method of classifying people. Not very scientific, and really a poor guesstimate, to give you an idea my own Dr. told me that "You don't have a thick neck so I didn't think you could have sleep apnea" yet my AHI was in the upper 70s.

I wonder where this myth of the "thick neck" == sleep apnea came from??

[AndrewB]

You'd think that any athlete would jump at a chance to legitimately go on xPAP. It would improve their oxygen levels.

[Mac33]

Do you really think in the macho word of pro football that any athlete would be caught "dead" wearing a cpap mask?

[desmondwl]

Oscar98, have your son checked out by a Sleep Specialist. He is showing some classic signs pointing to possible Sleep Apnea. Does he snore? Does he feel unrefreshed after waking? Falling asleep easily in car can also be a sign. And a big neck can be a contributing factor into Sleep Apnea.

desmondwl

[oscar98]

Oscar98, have your son checked out by a Sleep Specialist. He is showing some classic signs pointing to possible Sleep Apnea. Does he snore? Does he feel unrefreshed after waking? Falling asleep easily in car can also be a sign. And a big neck can be a contributing factor into Sleep Apnea.

desmondwl

Most of the time he is not snoring, but he will snore when his allergies act up and he is stuffy. He sometimes wakes with headaches and often wakes feeling "beat up". I agree that it is time to get him checked out and best to do it now since he will be 18 and off of our insurance in less then a year.