Short Wave

How do extreme G-forces affect Olympic bobsledders?


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Olympic sliding sports – bobsled, luge and skeleton – are known for their speed. Athletes chase medals down a track of ice at up to 80 or 90 mph. With this thrill comes the risk of “sled head.” Athletes use the term to explain the dizziness, nausea, exhaustion and even blackouts that can follow a brain-rattling run. Untreated, this can turn into concussions and subconcussions. But there’s still a lot more to learn about this condition. So today, host Emily Kwong speaks with two experts about the medical research into sled head – and how the sport would need to change to protect athletes’ brain health.

Check out more of NPR’s Olympics coverage.

Interested in more Olympic science? Email us your question at [email protected].

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