Thursday, October 1, 2009

Second Impact Syndrome

After looking at the “fencing response” that occurs in serious head injuries, it is also important to look at the hidden dangers of concussions and multiple concussions. I am not alone in the thought that there is no such thing as a mild brain injury. Especially at the high school level, football (as well as other) athletes often hide the fact that they may have had a slight concussion. The culture of sport needs to be changed so that if an athlete receives a cerebral concussion, they do not return to play until released based upon recognized neurological guidelines. There are several return to play guidelines which basically means that that there is not a general consensus among physicians. The guidelines developed from Dr. Cantu and from the Colorado Medical Society are considered to be on the more conservative when compared to the others. But, when we are talking about life, quality of life and even the possibility of death, conservative is what we need. At the very least, the injured athlete should not return to play until they are asymptomatic for 1 week. The video below illustrates the importance of recognizing concussions and providing the necessary care and rest.


1 comment:

  1. La Salle University recently paid 7.5 million dollars in a judgement
    relating to a second impact syndrome injury. Lawsuit

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