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Would a Concussion Hold You Back from the Super Bowl?
With all the hype surrounding the Super Bowl this weekend, it seems like a good opportunity to talk about concussions. Because they are not a glaringly obvious injury, concussions are much more easily ignored than most other injuries. And unfortunately, many times they are.
According to ESPN, a recent NFL Nation anonymous survey showed that 85 percent of the 320 players polled said they would still play in the Super Bowl even with a concussion. This seems crazy considering that research shows if a repeat concussion occurs before the brain recovers from the first, recovery can be slow and the chances of long-term problems increase. In some cases, repeat concussions can result in brain swelling, permanent brain damage, and even death.
Now, most of the injured athletes we see at Piedmont aren't playing for a Super Bowl ring, but no player is immune from the pressures to perform, from the elite professional athletes to the young middle school players. They just want to play, and if nothing is visibly, physically holding them back, it's hard to stay parked on the bench. At The New York Times, you can find a collection of horror stories of young athletes who have suffered dire consequences as a result of a concussion while playing football. Most concussions occur without the loss of consciousness, but all are serious, and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury and even death.
Parents and coaches alike are becoming better educated on the dangers of concussions thanks to vocal warnings from the healthcare community and groups like Safe Kids Worldwide. New child safety laws concerning athletes have been implemented and the entire nation seems to be currently engrossed in the widely publicized lawsuits brought by tens of thousands of retired players against the NFL for concussion-related brain injuries. The NFL recently announced that in 2013, concussions were down by 13 percent (which they attributed to team physicians, a spotter perched high in the press box and a neurosurgeon appointed to each team's sideline).
The facts are out there and attitudes are changing. It's nearly impossible to prevent concussions entirely, no matter what sport you are involved in, but there are several things coaches, parents and players should know when it comes to treating head injuries.
Learn more here: What You Should Know About Concussions
Educate Your Team If you are a coach or parent and would like to have one of our qualified medical professionals speak to your team about concussions, please give us a call at 478.405.2350. Piedmont Orthopaedic also offers ImPACT testing, which can significantly help your athlete should he or she have a concussion. Learn more.posted 05/01/2017 in Spine, Sports Medicine
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