I have been asked to write about concussions from time to time.  I attempted a chapter on concussions for a book at some point, over the next few weeks I will post this chapter, as I wrote it, no matter how horrible it is.  After all I am not an author, but at least you can take a look.  This particular chapter deals with concussions in the sport of football.  We all should know this injury can be sustained in any sport.  Because football is the biggest draw of sporting eyes I felt it was best to present it in this way. (Part I, Part II & III, Part IV, Part V & VI) *All sources will be posted after last portion is up.

Helmets and Protective Gear

Gladiators used them to protect against fatal blows on the floor of the Coliseum and in battle, today helmets are used for the same purpose in the military and on the football field.  Helmets were not even mandated in the sport until a rash of skull fractures caused such alarm that President Theodore Roosevelt demanded changes to the game.  This eventually created the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and mandates for helmets, which in turn reduced injuries by 31%[i].

One of the biggest myths about helmets and protective gear is that it will prevent concussions, wrong.  It will prevent what they were intended for, skull fractures and nothing more, the helmet sanctioning body; The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) makes sure of that with testing.  In fact you cannot play the game of football unless your helmet displays a NOCSAE sticker.  NOCSAE even states in a press release on February 4, 2011 that every player, parent, coach and anyone involved in the sport of football should know that helmets WILL NOT prevent concussions[ii].

Another piece of equipment has staked a claim into reduction and even prevention of concussion, mouth orthotics, which is also false due to the lack of current research and non-disputed journal article, backed by the Zurich statement[iii].  If you don’t believe the statement about mouth orthotics, take a quick look at boxing or MMA, they all wear mouth gear and they continually get knocked out or staggered (signs of concussion) during fights.

There is a simple reason as to why this is, physics.  As we have discussed you do not have to be hit in the head to develop a concussive episode, it only takes unnatural Continue reading →

I have been asked to write about concussions from time to time.  I attempted a chapter on concussions for a book at some point, over the next few weeks I will post this chapter, as I wrote it, no matter how horrible it is.  After all I am not an author, but at least you can take a look.  This particular chapter deals with concussions in the sport of football.  We all should know this injury can be sustained in any sport.  Because football is the biggest draw of sporting eyes I felt it was best to present it in this way. (Part I, Part II & III, Part IV) *All sources will be posted after last portion is up.

Classification of Concussions

Often we hear of “minor” injuries or sometimes they are referred to in degrees; 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd to give a sense of how bad it is or prognosis of recovery.  These classifications not only serve to give the audience a perspective, but they are also necessary for the medical diagnosis and rehabilitation.  Over years and years of injury surveillance, record keeping, surgeries, and rehabilitation on injuries of joints and muscles we can clearly define orthopedic injuries with these connotations.  Concussion, not so much.

Concussions initially began with a similar “grading” of severity authored by Robert Cantu, MD in 1986[i] adopted by the American College of Sports Medicine and further defined by various other organizations; Colorado Medical Society Guidelines – 1991[ii] (adopted by the NCAA), American Academy of Neurology – 1997[iii].  The issue as time went on was there was not a consensus of which grading system was the appropriate practice of care, the problem existed until three years ago when most health care providers began to accept and conform to The 3^rd International Conference on concussion in sport, held in Zurich, Switzerland[iv].  The key word being “most” as this information, widely accepted and worked on by the leaders in this issue, has not been seen or adhered to by physicians.

The consensus statement[v] was built upon the two previous meetings in Vienna (2001) and Prague (2004) as the exclusive panel began the process of trying to obtain a common ground on the concussion epidemic.  The take home message from this in terms of classification is that a concussion is a concussion.  Due to the varying factors and injury evolution differing from individual to individual the experts determined that “mild”, “moderate”, “severe”, “simpe”, and “complex” should not be used to diagnose or classify the actual injury.  To this day doctors, players, athletic trainers continue to use those terms when describing the injury, which is improper.

There is nothing mild or simple about a concussion, this injury is a significant insult to the brain and its function; therefore a concussion is a concussion.

Those qualifying tags could be used to Continue reading →