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.
- The majority of concussions do not involve losing consciousness. Any hit to the head can cause a concussion -- and there is no such thing as a "minor concussion."
- Grading systems used by trainers or doctors in the past are no longer valid today. No player should go back on the field after a head injury until he or she has been evaluated by a doctor.
- Exertion of any kind after a concussion can prolong or worsen its effects. That not only means physical exertion or playing sports, but also mental exertion, such as prepping for a test or working on a complex project.
- Athletes will often minimize or hide their symptoms in order to continue playing. It is up to parents and coaches to be vigilant and monitor players for signs of concussion. For a good overview of concussions and symptoms from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here.
- Damage from or symptoms of a concussion may not be evident on an x-ray or CT scan.
- The true danger of concussions -- especially for kids -- is second impact syndrome , where a player gets hit a second time before the brain has healed from the prior concussion. When this happens, the already bruised brain can swell quickly, placing so much pressure within the skull that the heart cannot pump enough oxygen to the brain fast enough. Second impact syndrome is often fatal.
It is difficult to turn the tide of long-held attitudes towards concussions in sports. In pro sports, it has taken a mandate by NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, to force attendance at the June 19th concussion summit, which examined the issue of head injuries among pro football players (see USA Today's excellent series of articles on this topic).
The gladiator mentality of players and coaches that we see on TV has a trickle-down effect on college sports, high school sports and on down to the pee-wee level. If our children's tough-guy (and gal) sports heroes don't take concussions seriously, it is very difficult to get young athletes to see the benefit of treating head injuries with care.
This is where parents and coaches need to rally to take this issue seriously in an effort to prevent further damage from concussions in youth sports. The next time someone gets their bell-rung, get the player off the field and to a doctor for evaluation. And let's not ever allow anyone to tell that player "just rub dirt on it and get back in the game."
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