The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby

 
Concussions are not limited to just football. We see players across the sports spectrum getting concussions and dealing with the repercussions. For example in 2002, Rugby star Leon MacDonald was knocked unconscious against Fiji, and just six weeks later, suffered another concussion.

MacDonald stated after the second concussion in six weeks, "that if I got over my symptoms fully before I got another knock, then I'd be back to square one, like everyone else on the field." This for the most part is not true, because studies have shown that people who have had a history of repeated concussions are more likely to recieve aniother concussion than one who has never had a concussion. The risks escelate with every devestatibng blow to the head; especially in a sport with high impact with no helmates. Elizabeth Quinn, a sports physiologist in Texas with a masters degree in sports science, reports Collins as saying "the study indicates for the first time in the high school athlete population that prior concussions may indeed lower the threshold for subsequent concussion injury and increase symptom severity in even seemingly mild subsequent concussions".  In other word it become worse and worse with every concussion that a player sustains throughout his or her career. We must all make these facts know to players and parents of players. This is vital information when deciding when the player should return to play, and whether or not the player should EVER return to play. These decisions are made among other important factors, but the studies are not something to take lightly, because we could ultimately save someone's life just bby educating the public on the risks accosiated with concussions and head trauma.

What is a Concussion

Bumping your head is all too easy, (especially with a ginormous head like mine). From accidentally hitting your head on the cabinet above you, to getting hit by a 250 Lb. linebacker, head trauma is too common. If you hit your head hard enough to cause a headache, there is a good chance that you have sustained a concussion.

Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that can occur from both mild and severe blows to the head. It occurs when your brain is hit violently against the inside of your skull; it is essentially a "brain bruise." Recent research has indicated that even mild concussions can have serious, long-term effects, especially if they are cumulative. A sudden turning movement such as a punch to the side of the face is more likely to cause unconsciousness.

http://theconcussionblog.com/what-is-a-concussion/

Interview with Joshua Drost

Joshua Drost - Age 21 - Brother's good friend

Josh started playing football since he was in grade school, and loves the game almost more than life itself. He was devastated when he found out that he would not be able to play football again without risking serious brain injury.Football was everything to Josh and he had struggled with Post-Concussion Syndrome just like me. In his Junior year of high-school, Josh sustained 3 concussions in one year, raising his life total to 7.

Me "When and where was your first concussion?"

Josh: "It was in 4th grade when I was playing for the Clairemont Hawks. And I believe it was at the Junior Seau Complex I can't remember. (Laughter) I guess that isn't a good sign."

Me: " How severe was it?"

Josh: "It wasn't that bad. I didn't lose consciousness or anything."

Me: "What do you think caused you to get so many concussions?"

Josh: "Honestly, a combination of things. First off is form. I always had my head down when I tackled because that was what felt natural but looking back I would have probably avoided most of them. Second is just the style in which I played. I always gave it my all and tried harder then the next kid. But i think the Third reason is just simply some bad luck."

Me: "What were some of the difficulties you faced when dealing with Post-Concussion Syndrome?"

Josh: " My memory isn't as good as it used to be, sensitivity to light, headaches obviously, an almost drowsiness, and a lot of mood swings mental breakdowns."

Me: "How hard was it to walk away from the game you loved the most?"

Josh: " One of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But I know it is for my own health so I can rest easy. It just took me a couple years to grasp my head around it."

Josh had been striving for athletic scholarships until his concussions finally caught up to him in high school. His life would be changed forever. When I interviewed Josh he had a aura of peace, (in his decision to give football up), about him that I did not see for a long time. The hardest battle to fight in the war on concussions is the pride of the athletes.

High School Athletes Continue to Hide Symptoms

High school athletes that play contact sports all know somebody who has sustained a concussion at some point; yet players still make the choice to hide or under-exaggerate their symptoms in order to return to play when they desire. A survey was conducted to 120 athletes that asked questions relating to concussions in sports. 82 athletes reported having concussion symptoms and risks explained to them while 30 athletes reported suffering a concussion themselves. The majority of the high schoolers answered that they

understood that "headaches, dizziness, difficulty with memory, difficulty concentrating and light and sound sensitivity were all risk factors for a concussion after a high-impact hit." Although students indicated they were aware of the risks associated with concussions, more than 50% of the 120 high school players surveyed said they continue to play. The survey indicated that 53% of players said they would “always or sometimes continue to play with a headache sustained from an injury.” Only 54% said they would “always or sometimes report symptoms of a concussion to their coach.”

This is an alarming and chilling statistic; considering that people have lost their lives due to the complications that come along with concussions. Diagnosing concussions among high-impact sports athletes has gained more attention in the past couple years as more research has come out showing issues from concussions from NFL players. Concussions can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms are mainly self-reported, and, in most cases, it is impossible to see a concussion on a CAT scan or MRI. The ultimate fall of these players is their pride and desire to stay in the game when the right thing to do is to watch from the sidelines. We need to change the culture of "being the tough guy" as it applies to concussions. This is not your hand, or your big toe, it is your brain and you only get one. Athletes in every sport need to take it seriously in order to save future lives.

http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/07/high-school-athletes-dont-report-concussion-symptoms/

Death of a Legend

On May 2nd, 2012, retired San Diego Charger linebacker Junior Seau committed suicide in his Oceanside home. He had shot him self in the chest with a shotgun, which circulated discussion on why he did not shot himself in the head like how most suicide attempts with a firearm occur. Many speculated that he suffered form depression and that by shooting himself in the chest, it implied that he wanted doctors to study his brain.

A report ESPN revealed that Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is connected to long-term head trauma. Seau was one of the greatest linebackers to ever play the game. It is not surprising that he had CTE considering his intensity and "big hit" nature.The report states that CTE is a disease that was found in other former football players as well. Over time, it can result in result in dementia, memory loss and depression. Junior Seau was never restricted from play as a result of a concussion, which indicates that he played through every head injury he had; and it ultimately cost him his life. He will be remembered for his tenacious play style, but we must also use him and his legacy as an example of the repercussions of repeated, untreated head trauma.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1479019-junior-seau-test-results-showing-cte-exemplify-why-nfl-concussion-rules-are-key

HEADed in the Right Direction

As of Friday April 26, 2013, the state of Ohio is officially joining the nationwide trend of making head injuries in youth sports a legal matter. Ohio’s new youth-concussion law is in full effect today, which requires steps be taken to educate parents, coaches and officials about concussion symptoms in athletes 18 and younger. Under the new legislature, a young athlete showing concussion symptoms must be removed from a game or practice and not be aloud to return to play for at least 24 hours after the sustained injury and until cleared by an authorized physician or licensed health-care provider.

This is a great step in the right direction. As a youth football coach, I have witnessed a coach putting his son back into the game after he had been complaining about his head hurting "really bad." The dad/coach replied, "After that hit son? Get back in there." Who knows if he actually had a concussion, but the way the father treated a possible head injury with such insignificance made me cringe. By making it a law, it puts pressure on coaches and parents to make the better, more educated decision.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2013/04/26/new-concussion-law-guards-kids-in-sports.html

Background

I have been playing schoolyard football my whole life and received my first concussion on the playground in 5th grade. After being escorted via ambulance to the hospital that day, I would not be aloud to play football until 8th grade.Things were going well, until my sophomore year, during a period of hitting drills and conditioning known as hell week, I sustained another concussion. It was not nearly as bad as the one as the one from the playground, but I still sat out the next two weeks including our first scrimmage. It was then our first game, my first game back and, in the 3rd quarter, I sustained another concussion after a helmet to helmet collision making the tackle on the running back. This time my body collapsed and I momentarily lost eye sight as I briefly lay motionless on the field. I got up and did what I thought was right, play the next play. Luckily, the next play did not go my way and I did not hit anybody. My teammates seeing that I was not right in the head, would not let me play anther play, so I ran to the sideline clearly upset.  This would prove to be the last time I ever ran back to the sidelines from a play; a career ending concussion.

After going to multiple physicians, sports doctors, neurologists, physical therapists, and countless trainers, I was diagnosed with PCS, Post Concussion Syndrome. My symptoms of headaches, sensitivity to light, mood swings, memory loss, focus issues, blurred vision, and irritability would prolong for about 14 months after the hit. I could not run or do anything physically exerting for about 8 of those months. Sports was my life, an athlete was who I was, so this would prove to be the most difficult part. During these months I had a lot of time to conduct my own research online on concussions and PCS. Although I would never play football again, it was an opportunity for me to educate my self on the topic. I had grown very interested not only in concussions and concussion prevention, but the sports medicine field as a whole. I consider my self very lucky to still have a cognitive brain. There are some out there who, especially while playing football, are not so lucky. I want to raise awareness to the seriousness of head injuries, and to educate others and myself to the repercussions of repeated head injuries in sports. We can save lives by simply being more aware to those players who MIGHT have a sustained a concussion.

Enough is Enough

The only thing more troubling than the hit Calvin Johnson took against the Minnesota Vikings on September 30th, is what happened on the sideline shortly after. The Detroit stud receiver had jumped to catch a pass thrown by Matt Stafford, but the pass was sailed to high, just missing Johnson's enormous wingspan. Johnson was still airborne when Chad Greenway of the Vikings hit in the face mask with the crown of his helmet; Ford Field went silent. When he returned to the sideline, he immediately fell to his knees and grabbed his head in obvious pain. Everybody and their mother in the stadium knew he was concussed and should stop playing, except the team trainers.

Calvin Johnson after the hit on September 30th

Calvin Johnson returned to play just a short 12 minutes later being down by 14 points against a divisional rival. He later stated to a local radio station, “It’s a part of football... You get concussed, you gotta keep on playing.” This mind state is something that we have to nip in the bud in not only professional sports, but college, high school, and your local youth team. Adults and kids alike think it is part of being tough to play with a concussion, this is the biggest taboo that needs to be eliminated. Being a football player, your always going to have to play hurt at one time or another, but it is a different situation to play injured. Sure your going to be hurting every game, everything from hands, arms, ribs, back, legs, and everything in between. But you only have one head with one brain; you do not ever want to play around with the limits of your brain. One more big hit on Calvin Johnson from that game and he could have been eating his meals through a tube for the rest of his life.

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2012/12/nfl-sideline-concussion-testing/

Post-Concussion Syndrom Related to Murder-Suicide

Jovan Belcher was signed as a free-agent out of University of Maine and despite the odds, worked his way up to start at middle Line-backer for the Kansas City Chiefs died on December 1, 2012, in a murder-suicide, killing his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kassandra Perkins, before driving to the Chiefs' training facility and killing himself. This is a crazy situation to say the least, and it poses serious questions. Is Belcher truly right in the head? And is there anything anybody could have done to prevent this incredibly tragic event from happening?
 A friend told the sports website Deadspin.com that Belcher suffered from short-term memory loss following a recent game against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 18th. Since 2011, at least five other NFL players have committed suicide, including Junior Seau, Dave Duerson, Kurt Crain, O.J Murdock, and Ray Easterling. Autopsies of Duerson, Easterling, and Seau found that both showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease caused by repeated blows to the head. This tragic story is just another example of the price NFL and other professional sports players pay.

http://www.consoleandhollawell.com/law-blog/is-concussion-related-head-trauma-to-blame-in-the-javon-belcher-case