BLOG 41 CONCUSSIONS

BLOG 41 CONCUSSIONS

An injury to the head should never be taken lightly. A threatening blow to the brain is an issue that must not be ignored. My mind instantly pictures Bugs Bunny getting hit and seeing stars. As a former athlete, concussions were not a rare occurrence in my sport of basketball, but recently there has been a widespread epidemic of this trauma happening to players in all types of sports. So let’s take a look at the basics of what a concussion is and how this injury can have long term consequences.

In my research, the findings were difficult to decipher just how serious a concussion is. For example, one source stated, “The most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury is called a concussion. The word comes from the Latin concutere, which means ‘to shake violently’” (http://www.webmd.com/brain/concussion-traumatic-brain-injury-symptoms-causes-treatments). This is a confusing description, as the word “violently” seems serious. We have fluid in our skull that protects and cushions the head. A blow to the head can cause our brain to move back and forth against the walls of our skull. This blow can cause “bruising, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves” (http://www.webmd.com/brain/concussion-traumatic-brain-injury-symptoms-causes-treatments). Vision can become blurred, one might feel confused, or a person can even become unconscious. Side effects include depression, moodiness, altered sleep, headaches, and vomiting. A car crash, bike accident, or any type of collision, can cause a concussion.

At first, most concussions were considered miled and easily treatable. However, the long term effects have recently come to light. For example, 4,000 former football players of NFL filed law suits against the league stating, “National Football League failed to protect them from the long-term health consequences of concussion” (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256518.php). Research has begun to show that even when all the symptoms of a concussion seem to have subsided, the brain is still not functioning at peak performance. Dr. Maryse Lassonde, a neuropsychologist and the scientific director of the Quebec Nature and Technologies Granting Agency, started looking into the long term effects of concussion on the Montreal Canadian hockey team. According to her, “The results indicate that there is abnormal brain wave activity for years after a concussion, as well partial wasting away of the motor pathways, which can lead to significant attention problems” (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256518.php). Even more disturbing was the following: “A recent study was carried out comparing healthy athletes to those of the same age who suffered from a concussion 30 years ago. The results showed that those who experienced head trauma had symptoms similar to those of early Parkinson's disease - as well as memory and attention deficits. In addition, further tests revealed that the older athletes who had suffered from concussion experienced a thinning of the cortex in the same part of the brain that Alzheimer's affects “(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256518.php) . 

Locally, the tragedy of Junior Seau ending his own life brought even more awareness to the long term results of repeated concussions and blows to the head. His brain was studied after his death, and the findings were consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. According the Gina Seau (his wife) and his son Tyler, Junior had “signs of irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/junior-seau-cte-brain-disease_n_2446930.html) . Tyler stated, “He emotionally detached himself and would kind of `go away' for a little bit. And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/junior-seau-cte-brain-disease_n_2446930.html). The NFL is becoming more proactive about the issue by cooperating with research agencies, however the lawsuits continue to pile up.

There is ultimately a risk to consider when partaking in any type of contact sport. It is up to each individual to weigh “the cost of doing business” (as they say). Returning to play too quickly after a blow to the head is also something that should be monitored. As an athlete, if I rolled my ankle or got knocked down, I wanted to be put right back into the game (even after a torn ACL and meniscus). The competitive nature and love for the game takes over. We don’t always think long term. As more attention is brought to this issue, like with the new Will Smith movie, Concussion, we will learn even more. One rep a time, we always gain knowledge, improve, and make strides forward. The future sports world may be greatly impacted by this topic. I hope that all players remember there is no price you can put on your health.