Sports Concussions: Don't Ignore the Dings

Concussions to athletes have been getting a lot of press lately. The news itself has been grim, particularly the stories coming out of the NFL about players like Ted Johnson, whose countless hits to the head have caused permanent impairment and chronic depression; or like Andre Waters, and most recently, Justin Strzelczyk (see USA Today story), whose deaths have been linked to permanent brain damage caused by repeated concussions during their playing careers.

I hope this publicity will increase awareness of the dangers of concussions among all players and coaches -- amateur and pro alike. Dings and bell-ringers are no longer something to be brushed off.

What parents, coaches and players need to know about concussions:

• A concussion is usually defined as a bruising of the brain after a traumatic injury to the head. Basically, the brain is shaken from the impact and is bruised from hitting the inside of the skull.