Limiting Full-Contact Practices in High School Football: The Time to Act is Now!

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 22:23. | comments

For those of you who may be wondering why you haven't seen a blog from me in recent weeks, there is a simple answer: I have been head down (pardon the pun) finishing up MomsTEAM's high school football concussion documentary, The Smartest Team.

Newcastle, Oklahoma football player about to be tackled Two news items on the subject of brain trauma in high school football, however, hit my desk over the past week which deserve comment.

Despite a growing body of evidence which suggests that brain trauma to football players can result, not just from violent helmet-on-helmet collisions hard enough to lead to concussions but from the cumulative effect of less forceful, but repetitive, subconcussive blows, no steps have been taken to limit such trauma at the high school level. That may be about to change.

Dietary Supplements For Performance Nutrition: Adopt "Food-First" Philosophy, Says NATA

The keys to good health and successful athletic performance are a carefully designed, healthful, and nutritionally balanced diet and well-developed program which promotes a "food-first" philosophy, says a helpful new position statement on evaluating dietary supplements from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA).

Energy Drinks: What Teenagers, Doctors, and Parents Should Know

Reviewing current information about the content, benefits, and risks of the use of energy drinks by teens, a group of military doctors expressed "great concern" over the safety and negative effects of energy drinks, given their high caffeine content and the common practice on college campuses (and most likely at the high school level as well) of mixing energy drinks with alcohol.

Douglas E. Abrams, J.D.

Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: Queen Creek (Arizona) High School Football Team

Submitted by Douglas E. Abrams, J.D. on Fri, 02/01/2013 - 16:23. | comments

Attending Queen Creek High School was a daily ordeal for 16-year-old sophomore Chy Johnson, who faced unrelenting taunts from bullies who would punctuate their insults by throwing garbage on her and shoving her in the hallways. Most days, she came home crying, unable to resist the indignities alone.

School bullies often seek out the most vulnerable victims, classmates who appear “different” for one reason or another and cannot defend themselves. Chy Johnson unfortunately fit the description. She attends regular classes, but she has microcephaly, a genetic brain disorder that has left her head smaller than average and causes her brain to operate at a third-grade level.

Attending Queen Creek High School was a daily ordeal for 16-year-old sophomore Chy Johnson, who faced unrelenting taunts from bullies. Until the high school football team stepped in to help.

Risk Factors for Concussion and Prolonged Recovery

History of prior concussion, collision sports, female sex, and women's soccer are the strongest known risk factors for concussion, while symptoms such as persistent headaches, migraines, amnesia, and multiple symptoms appear to be associated with prolonged recovery, says a new study.

Five Fast Tips to Help Your Athlete Strike Out the Flu

We value our children's participation in team sports for many reasons, including the camaraderie it breeds. Unfortunately, this time of year camaraderie can breed colds and flu, too. And it's tough to be a valuable teammate when you're sick. Here are five fast tips to help keep your superstar in the game and off the sidelines by keeping the flu at bay.

Women Hockey Players Sustain More Heavy Hits Than Previously Thought

There are a many more hits in women's college hockey of the kind that can lead to concussion than previously believed, new Canadian research finds.

Number and Type of Symptoms Linked To Prolonged Concussion Recovery, Study Says

High school athletes reporting four or more symptoms of concussion at the time of injury are twice as likely to experience symptoms lasting a week or more, says a 2013 study.

Can Brain Scan Identify Signs of C.T.E.?

Using a sophisticated brain scan, researchers at UCLA have for the first time identified in living patients the telltale signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. While the results are preliminary, the study opens up the possibility of using the scans to develop strategies to prevent C.T.E. and provide treatment for those who have it.

Hal Tearse

Concussions in Hockey: A Dark Cloud Hanging Over the Sport With A Simple Solution: Play By The Rules

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Sun, 01/20/2013 - 05:53. | comments

January 19th was a great day for ice hockey in North America with the return of the NHL, and especially in my state, which celebrated our annual "Hockey Day in Minnesota." Today, two high school teams played outdoors on Lake Pokegema in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers mens' hockey team played North Dakota, and then the Minnesota Wild played their season opener - all on TV. Across the state, youth and high school teams were also playing the game they love. But, while it was a day to celebrate hockey, it is also a reminder of the dark cloud that hangs over the game: concussions.

The end of the NHL lockout and the annual Hockey Day in Minnesota should have been cause for celebration, but for a longtime Minnesota high school hockey coach and official the hockey-fest was also a reminder that concussions continue to be a dark cloud hanging over the sport.

Health & Safety