Traumatic brain injuries are unfortunately a topic on which I am well versed. I am pursuing a degree in athletic training, and have worked frequently with athletes who have experienced concussion, a form of traumatic brain injury. The CDC defines concussion as, “a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. I have found that the severity of these injuries is not well appreciated, and in fact, often concussion is taken very lightly. Perhaps because concussion is considered to be a more mild form of brain injury that isn’t usually immediately life threatening. Although this may be the case, it remains that many individuals who experience cerebral concussion go on to experience multiple concussions later in life, herein lies the problem. Research by Guskiewicz et al. studies the the association between recurrent concussion and late-life cognitive impairment, and finds that individuals with “three or more concussions have a fivefold prevalence of MCI diagnosis and a threefold prevalence of reported significant memory problems compared to those without a history of concussion.” Research like this is mounting, and with the retirement of professional athletes we are starting to becoming aware of the severity of this injury, that being said, we are simply not taking concussion seriously enough. In this video entitled, “The League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis” the severity of concussion and disability that ensues is very blatantly documented. Although shocking, eye opening, and often hard to watch, this video is absolutely worth watching, and for me has been one of the most life-changing documentations regarding disability in sport and concussion.
The League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis:
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365093675/
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16239884
The League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis:
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365093675/
http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16239884