Home » Health & Safety

Health & Safety

Fourth International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport: Personal Observations

A leading sports concussion neuropsychologist and researcher provides her personal observations on the 4th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport, held in Zurich, Switzerland in November 2012.

Effect of Concussion On Children's Brains Linger Long After Symptoms Clear

Structural abnormalities in children's brains persist in children and teens for months after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion, even when symptoms have cleared and results on neurocognitive tests have returned to normal, finds a sobering new study in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Protective Eyewear Reduces Eye, Head, and Facial Injuries in High School Field Hockey

High school field hockey players competing in states which mandate protective eyewear have significantly lower rates of head, eye, and facial injuries when compared to those who compete in states without such mandates, and the addition of protective eyewear did not result in more player-player contact injuries such as concussions, a new study finds.

High Salt Diet Linked To Greater Soft Drink Consumption and Increased Childhood Obesity Risk

One way to fight childhood obesity may be to reduce dietary intake of salt by children, says a new study. Reducing the amount of salt may help reduce the amount of sugary beverages consumed, which in turn, may lower childhood obesity risk.

Preventing Skin Cancer: Tips for Winter

Protecting your skin from skin cancer isn't just important in the hot summer sun. The risk is high in the winter as well, especially around snow or at a higher elevation. As part of the American Academy of Dermatology's SPOT Skin Cancer® initiative, here are some tips on skin cancer prevention and detection from professional skier and three-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso.

Pediatricians and ER Doctors: More Concussion Training Needed

Although pediatric primary care and emergency medicine ;providers regularly treat concussions, many admit to lacking the training or tools needed to diagnose and manage concussed patients, a new study finds.

Muscle-Enhancing Behaviors More Common Among Teens Than Previously Thought

The use of muscle-enhancing behaviors among middle and high school boys and girls - including such unhealthy behaviors as using protein powders or shakes, steroids, and other muscle-enhancing substances - is substantially higher than previously reported, a new study finds.

Giving Back as a Family

The sport of soccer has given our family so much over the years. When I actually look back at the 35 years I have been married soccer has always been part of our daily lives.

From my college education, to my career as a professional player, to my current career directing Twellman Soccer, this sport has always been part of my life.

The same is true for my three kids. From their education to their careers to their love of the game soccer has always
and continues to be part of their lives.

The love of the sport has and will always be present but now our focus has changed.

Are we listening to the injured athlete?

Seven Days In November: Concussions 24/7

It's been a very busy seven days.  Pretty much, all football, all concussions, all the time.

It began with a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in last Friday's Aspen Institute roundtable on the future of youth and high school football, and back home.

Saturday and Sunday were spent getting the trailer for the new MomsTEAM football documentary, The Smartest Team,  uploaded to a new website.

On Monday morning, after sharing my thoughts on Aspen, I turned my attention to preparing for a quick trip to Austin, Texas on Wednesday, where I was the after-dinner speaker at the end of a symposium on concussions put on by Core Health Systems.

It's been a very busy seven days. Pretty much all football, all concussions, all the time. But if there is anything MomsTEAM's Founder and Publisher has learned over the past twelve years of following the advances in our knowledge of concussion, it is that an "all-of-the-above" strategy has the best chance of making the game safer.

Aspen Institute Football Roundtable Was Valuable, But Changed Few Minds

Last Friday, I participated in a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C. conducted by the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society program called "Playing Safety: The Future of Youth Football?" It was moderated by ESPN's Tom Farrey and, in the phrase made famous by the movie Casablanca, rounded up all the usual suspects on concussion safety and football, including MomsTEAM concussion expert emeritus Dr. Bob Cantu, USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck, and NFL Player Association President DeMaurice Smith, among other luminaries from the world of football and journalism. I was indeed honored to be asked to join those debating the future of the sport.

The Aspen Institute's discussion on the future of youth and high school football rounded up the usual suspects, both those advocating against tackle football before age 14 or abolishing the sport altogether, and those saying that the best approach is to institute reforms so that teams can play smart, not scared.
Syndicate content