NHL Update

With new stories focusing on NHL player being hit from behind, as well as being hit in the head, news released at the National Academy of Neuropsychology Conference comes at a good time.

The NHL and the NHL Players Association had yet to release or otherwise present data from their multi-year concussion management program. However, data was presented on October 21st in New York. Incidence statistics:

Seven hundred and fifty-nine National Hockey League players have been diagnosed with concussions since 1997, or an average of about 76 players per season and 31 concussions per 1,000 hockey games.(cite)

Utility of cognitive testing:

Thirty percent of NHL players diagnosed with concussions have normal physical readings but abnormal neuropsychological testing scores

Games missed due to concussion:

While frequency of concussions didn't change much from the 2005-06 season to 2006-07, games missed due to concussion, the number of games players missed because of concussions and related problems jumped 41 percent

Other data presented at the conference, but not included in the ESPN article include history of concussion:

There were no differences on baseline neuropsychological test scores as a function of self-reported history of concussion

Symptom reporting:

30% of a sub-sample of 300 players reported no concussion-related symptoms but had neuropsychological test scores that fell below normal ranges. An additional 11% had normal neutopsychological test scores but reported symptoms related to concussion.

This is interesting data, and I hope that we will see more details in a publication soon.

Sobering realities

The High School football player who sustained two concussions 3 weeks apart has died (cite)

As adults/parents, we know that hiding the symptoms is dangerous, and we cannot rely on young kids to know or report their symptoms. Unfortunately, the burden is on us to monitor symptoms of their kids, even when the sport is not a "collision sport."

New research is suggesting that recovery times be extended to 3-4 weeks following a concussion

...Dr. Lester Mayers in last month's Archives of Neurology. “Nevertheless, given the prevalence of sports head (injuries) and the numbers of young brains at risk, a postconcussion (return-to-play) interval of at least four weeks is imperative.”

The catch phrase: "When in doubt, sit them out."

A Cause for Concern

Coaches and trainers are becoming concerned about concussions in youth athletes. Look at the case of a high school athlete who sustained two concussions this season:

James had been cleared from a head injury earlier this season, but the athletic trainer took extra care after the sophomore took another blow to the head in a junior varsity game.

(The Trainer) noticed James vomiting after the hit -- a typical concussion symptom -- but decided to play it safe and recommend James, the team's starting punter the first four weeks, be taken to the emergency room. From there, he was flown by emergency medical helicopter to the Medical Center,where it was determined Datz had sustained a subdural hematoma, a brain injury in which blood gathers in the brain.

James had surgery immediately -- physicians drilled into his head to drain the pressure off his brain -- and was released from the hospital less than a week later.

He has since returned to school for half-days...

Not every student athletes is as lucky. Take the case of Ryan, a 16-year-old High School football player hospitalized following a brain hemorrhage during a recent game:

Ryan had suffered a recent concussion, but was cleared by a doctor to resume playing... he had undergone a CAT scan before being allowed to return to the field.

The hemorrhage, or bleeding on the brain, occurred about three weeks later during a game... when Ryan tackled an opposing player, then abruptly collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital and was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage, that required immediate surgery, the statement said.

In a statement... it was "unlikely that Ryne's condition would improve."

Frighteningly, this incident marked at least the third life-threatening injury to a student football player in New Jersey this year.

NFL Week 6

Been busy, but a lot has happened.

Denver WR Brendan Stokley sustained his 10th concussion last week. While you might be thinking "time to retire" he is thinking about not missing the Monday Night game against NE (cite)

Bills QB Trent Edwards sustained a concussion from a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Cardinals in week 6. He is expected to play this week, as the median number of days missed in the NFL following concussion happens to be 6.

NFL Week 4

In the NFL, Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin is recovering after sustaining a horrific concussion that looked more like a severe brain injury at the time, complete with decerebrate posturing. He fractured his sinus membrane, but vows to:

...take a week off, and then I'm going to come back and give them the dirt. I'm going to give it right back to them.' (cite)

Carolina Panthers Tackle Jordan Gross is out following a concussion sustained in Week 4, in which he lay face down on the turf for several moments (cite)

Rams WR Dane Looker sustained a concussion after a blow to the head, and has been held out of practice. (cite)

Word is getting out...

If you have been following the "mainstream media," you might not have seen anything about concussion research, but the NY Times released an article last week announcing that athletes are donating their brains for research on concussion. I took the first step in contacted Chris Nowinski to see if they could use the brains of concussion researchers as controls.

It is good to see that word is getting out. The New Jersey Brain Injury Association recently announced that they provide funds to cover concussion baseline testing at 100 schools (cite).

Hopefully, better concussion awareness will help prevent tragedies like the death of an 18-year old high school football player.