Peter King at Sports Illustrated reported earlier today that researchers who run the NFL ‘Brain Bank’ at Boston University have requested that Junior Seau’s brain be donated for research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a serious degenerative brain disease. (The San Diego medical examiner confirmed today that Seau, 43, whose NFL career spanned 20 years,… Read More »
A recent research article by Dr. Bennet Omalu in the journal Neurosurgical Focus highlights a probable connection between blast-related brain injuries common in Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, and a brain disease usually associated with certain sports like boxing, American football, and hockey. This connection was first reported in the New York Times by Nicholas Kristof.… Read More »
One of the most frustrating aspects of traumatic brain injuries, for both survivors and medical professionals, is the lack of clarity and guesswork involved with recovery and rehabilitation. Every brain injury (and brain) is literally unique; so predictions on TBI recovery and time are all over the map. Enter a research team at University of… Read More »
Several health and science news stories have reported on research studies that looked at soccer headers and possible brain damage. Current research isn’t conclusive on the short term effects of multiple headers off a soccer ball, at least when it comes to cognitive performance. What did jump out at me from one study was that… Read More »
At the beginning of January the NFL expanded concussion guidelines to include the ability to “allow the (team) medical staff to review the network video of any play during which a player was injured.” This change was prompted by the December 8 concussion received by Browns quarterback Colt McCoy in a game against Pittsburgh. McCoy… Read More »
Best Practices for Sports Teams and School Athletic Departments. A Guide for Coaches, Athletic Trainers, Physicians, and Parents. A number of high profile cases involving long term risks of concussions in contact sports has spurred sports concussion legislation in many states. State legislation will typically require mandatory concussion management policies that school administrators and athletic… Read More »