During the September 12th Eagles game, two Philadelphia Eagle players (Stewart Bradley and Kevin Kolb) sustained concussions. After a brief evaluation on the sidelines, both players quickly returned to play. In the case of Eagle linebacker Stewart Bradley, he was returned to play in four minutes. Unfortunately, neither player was able to return after half-time, both having been diagnosed as having sustained a concussion.
Though most people are aware of the dangers associated with traumatic brain injuries in football, few know of the dangers basketball pose to a child’s health. An article on CNN states that between 1997 and 2007 the number of basketball related traumatic brain injuries in people under the age of 20 increased by 70%, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. Additionally, the number of brain injuries in boys doubled, while the number of brain injuries in girls nearly tripled.
A recent article in the journal Pediatrics reported on new data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System which found that from 1997 through 2007 emergency room visits for children between the ages and 8 and 13 with a diagnosis of concussion more than doubled while youths aged between 14 and 19 tripled during this ten year period. The study also found that approximately 50% of all emergency room visits where the treatment and diagnosis of concussions were sports related.
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), in conjunction with several State politicians, have proposed legislation that would promote baseline neurological testing in an effort to reduce the number of sports related concussions in high school athletes. As seminars are being held to educate coaches, parents and students on the risks associated with concussions, the number of schools offering baseline testing has increased from a year ago.
Phil Hossler, a certified athletic trainer at East Brunswick High School and member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame, recently published, “Concussion Policy Construction Guide for Schools,” his second book discussing the study of concussions, the athletes who suffer them and when they can safely return to play.
Chris Henry, the former Cincinnati Bengals receiver, was recently identified as the first National Football League player to have died with trauma-induced brain damage while still being an active player in the NFL. Henry died last December during a domestic dispute in which he fell from the back of a pickup truck driven by his fiancée.
The House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing, Thursday, May 20, 2010 in order to discuss the prevalence of concussions in high school student athletes. The meeting also discussed the impact concussions can have on the student’s academic achievement. An estimated 400,000 student athletes sustained a concussion from 2005 – 2008.
On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of participating in a program sponsored by Neuroscience Network at the Princeton Library. Joining me was Smita Thakker-Varia, Ph.D., Carlos Salazar, A.T.C., C.S.C.S. and Niki Popyer, a student athlete. The program was sponsored by BioScience collaborative and its Neuroscience Network.
Though the Olympics bring years of hard work and dedication to fruition for many athletes, for some it brings serious injuries. Snowboarder, Kevin Pearce, a favorite to challenge gold medalist Shaun White in the halfpipe, sustained a traumatic brain injury during training December 31, 2009. Pearce struck his head on the lip of the halfpipe while attempting a double cork – a move he had performed several times before. Pearce continues to show improvement and currently resides at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado.
Last week, HBO presented a 30-minute special on concussions featuring Chris Nowinski’s concussion research program. The program, part of HBO’s ongoing series Real Sports, details controversial aspects of professional sports few of us every get to learn about.
