Right now, no one knows how many hits…how frequent the hits…or how hard the hits have to be before “several concussions” becomes “irreversible brain damage.” The only thing that is clear is that we need to do more to protect the brains of young athletes. If chronic traumatic encephalopathy was found in the brain of an otherwise healthy 21-year-old man, when did it start? In high school? Junior high?
I just read a fantastic editorial about head injury and concussion in youth sports, written by someone who knows and cares: Neurologist Richard C. Senelick, M.D., Medical Director of the Rehabilitation Institute of San Antonio. He is also a father and a grandfather, so this topic is more than just an abstract medical exercise to …
The average cyclist crashes about every 4,500 miles. Kids? Seems like at least once a week. Wearing a helmet has been shown to prevent up to 75% of cyclists’ head injuries… and are required by law in the state of North Carolina for all cyclists under age 16.* Here’s what you need to know about …
“Tuesdays with Morrie” is the heartbreaking story of the final life lessons imparted by a beloved teacher dying of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Today, the New York Times reports on an astonishing bit of science that expands the tragedy: Some people diagnosed with ALS may not have the disease. …
On July 29, 2010, I wrote about the danger of metal bats in youth baseball. There are a growing number of head and brain injuries caused when baseballs hit by metal bats strike a pitcher in the head. Some players have been severely injured. One 16-year-old young man, Gunnar Sandberg, was nearly killed by a …
About four years ago, Texan Dianne Helms drove home after a night of partying and drinking. She crashed her Toyota Tundra into a culvert. Her body was tossed around in the car…her head went through the driver’s side window and smashed onto the pavement. That’s how her year-long coma began. That’s how she ended up …
An article in today’s USA TODAY reports the growing number of head and brain injuries suffered by young athletes due, at least in part, to metal baseball bats. Take the examples of two families, the Sandbergs and the Schlesners: They’ve each had a son on the verge of dying after being struck on the head …
In a report by News 14 Carolina, tiny Colfax, North Carolina (located about halfway between Winston-Salem and Greensboro) is home to a special program that pairs horses with people who have suffered brain injury. The non-profit Horsepower Therapeutic Learning Center calls on different aspects of horsemanship to develop athleticism, memory, balance, and speech among people …
Horseback Riding Helps Those with Brain Injuries Read More »
Most of us have fond memories of those “Hey, watch me dive” days from our childhood. I remember one summer when my cousin slipped while running around the edge of the pool and split his lip on the concrete… and another year when my teenage friend nearly drowned after body surfing in the dark. In hindsight, it is obvious that we were all pretty lucky that our injuries weren’t worse than that. Those memories just as easily could have been tragic.
…if you’re a glass-is-half-full kind of person, you could take the AANS report as a license to turn off the cell phone and enjoy your time outdoors. Summer, sports, and safety–that’s having it all!