Improving Concussion Safety in High School Football: Promising Developments, But A Long Way To Go

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Sat, 04/27/2013 - 16:14. | 0 comments

It has been a good two weeks for parents looking to make high school football safer, with a number of promising developments. But it is not time to declare victory, and many questions remain to be answered.

The last two full weeks of April 2013 have been a good one for parents looking to make high school football safer, but it is not time to declare victory, and many questions remain to be answered,

Concussive and Subconcussive Blows May Speed Up Aging of Brain, Studies Suggest

Concussions, and even lesser subconcussive head trauma, may speed up the brain's natural aging process says a new study which found changes in gait, balance, and in the brain's electrical activity in areas measuring attention and impulse control in otherwise healthy college students with a history of concussion.

Head Games Movie Review: Not The Film I Was Hoping To See

Head Games: The Movie paints the sports concussion picture largely in black and white terms, eschewing a more nuanced approach in favor of the sensational. It is a movie that is intended to evoke in viewers an emotional, not rational response but, in the end, it is the movie that is playing games with our heads.

Sub-Concussive Hits: A Growing Concern in Youth Sports

Brain trauma among football players may be less the result of violent helmet-on-helmet collisions that cause concussions as the accumulation of sub-concussive blows. The long-term effects of such repetitive brain trauma are still unknown.

Heading in Soccer: Long-Term Effect Remains Unclear

While it is possible that intentional heading in soccer represents a form of repetitive subconcussive mild brain injury which, over time, could be a cause of chronic traumatic encephalpathy (CTE), the possible cause-and-effect relationship remains theoretical, says a 2012 study.

Limiting Hits To Head In Youth Sports Aim of Innovative "Hit Count" Program

The Sports Legacy Institute's "Hit Count" initiative is designed to dramatically reduce youth athletes' exposure to repetitive brain trauma in multiple sports, with the goal to reduce concussions, sub-concussive trauma and risk of developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

NHL Star Had CTE: Degenerative Disease Linked To Repeated Brain Trauma

An autopsy has revealed that former NHL star Rick Martin was suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated brain trauma.

Brooke de Lench

When Bob Cantu Says No Collision Sports Before Age 14, Parents Need to Listen

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Thu, 09/15/2011 - 13:23. | 0 comments

The blockbuster announcement came across my desk two days ago, but it took me a while to process its full significance. In fact, it may take me a while longer to fully appreciate all of its implications for youth sports.

Dr. Bob Cantu, MomsTeam's first concussion expert from 2000-2008, and someone I have known and respected for more than a decade, is recommending that kids under the age of 14 not participate in collision sports as currently played. Youth football players stretching

The blockbuster announcement came across my desk two days ago, but it took me a while to process its full significance. In fact, it may take me a while longer to fully appreciate all of its implications for youth sports. Dr. Bob Cantu, MomsTeam's first concussion expert, and someone I have known and respected for more than a decade, is recommending that kids under the age of 14 not participate in collision sports as currently played.

Ivy League Football Completes First Season Under New Concussion Prevention Rules

The Ivy League adopted groundbreaking new rules for the 2011 football season intended to lower the risk of concussion and the number subconcussive hits, including reducing to two the number of full-contact, in-season practices allowed per week. New research suggests that such repeated hits may cause more brain damage than blows resulting in diagnosed concussions.

Team of Experts

CTE