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latest concussion news:
Bruins' Savard returns to the ice and a standing ovation after March concussion

Minnesota Wild Bouchard cleared to play Wed after March 2009 concussion, missed 112 games

NCAA hoops star Nored out with concussion after hitting opponent's head, may not make Duke this Sat

Alabama QB McElroy out with concussion in loss to Auburn, second head injury since Oct

Colts receiver Collie suffers another concussion on his first game back 2 weeks after the last one; doctors take his helmet

American Academy of Neurology: Concussed athletes should see a specialist before returning to play


Mayo Clinic Hockey Summit recommendations include ban on all hits to the head at all levels

Army identifies blood protein marker which may help identify brain injuries including concussions

 
What becomes of athletes who suffer concussions when young?


Scott Laker

Ask Dr. Scott Laker:
Seattle Sports Concussion Program

Why are girls more at risk for concussion than boys, statistically speaking?

  Dr. Laker's answer

 
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NFL toughens stance on concussions, acknowledging long-term risks and life-changing potential
 

Recently released NFL helmet-impact test results should not be applied to collegiate, high school or youth helmets

NFL considers changes to camps and practices to limit concussions; concerned about sub-concussive hits

NCAA makes 3-man wedge illegal this year hoping to reduce concussions, same as NFL

Tennessee tightens concussion policies for coming school year

Study suggests athletes may need even more time after concussion to fully heal

NJ female teen athlete suffered 15 concussions now struggles daily

DC MLS star Namoff suspends career due to lingering symptoms from concussion suffered Sept 09

MLB All-Star players choosing reinforced helmets to reduce head injuries

Neuroplasticity: can our brains grow, change, and heal themselves at any age?

Emergency room visits for kids with head injuries increased 43% in the last five years

LaPorta passes neuropsychological test but doctors don't allow him to return to play

Indians LaPorta shows no sign of concussion after on-field collision and CT scan

High school softball adds concussion rule

Pro soccer player Twellman ends season due to symptoms from concussion suffered 2 years ago

Former Bengals receiver who died of unrelated causes showed signs of trauma-related brain damage at age 26

Pirates players collide leaving second baseman unconscious; out for series with concussion

Study shows most parents unaware of their local school's concussion policies

Six-yr-old sustains concussion attempting flip off diving board

Quebec bans bodychecking in youth hockey and reduces concussions significantly

Pro hockey player suffers post-concussion syndrome, symptoms originally confused with flu

Canadian amateur football association implements concussion rules to protect all amateur players

Neck muscle strength plays a role in concussion prevention

ESPN's  Preston Plevetes' concussion story, former La Salle football player

Zackery Lystedt inspired WA State's concussion law, the Lystedt Law

Eagles wide receiver felt pressured by asst coach to return after concussion last season

Concussion Basics
 

Air Force Academy basketball player plaqued by headaches since Nov. concussion, hopes new medication helps

Are headguards the answer for soccer players?  Some athletes and coaches in ME believe so


Head U Concussions





Picking Up the Pieces After 7 Concussions

Inspiration for change takes many forms. For Ed Hill of Massachusetts, it was a simple tap on the shoulder from the back seat, and a challenge from his then-16-yr.old daughter, Michelle. “So what are you going to do about it, Dad?” “It” was her third concussion and neither of them knew at the time that she would sustain a total of seven, all before her 19th birthday.Catcher

Michelle’s love of sports started early, but so did the head injuries. A standout basketball and softball player, her first concussion occurred in eighth grade during a basketball game. Over the next few years she suffered several more, some on the court, a few as catcher. As a senior, Michelle would have been captain of her Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School softball team but instead found herself watching from the sideline. “You never think something like this is going to happen to you,” she said recently. “There isn’t anything I’d rather be doing than helping my team win.” As #3 batter and outstanding catcher, softball in particular, was something she never pictured would be out of her life.

Most of Michelle’s concussions were sports-related, and some she tried to “play through” because she didn’t know the risks involved. But the seventh and final blow sent her into a tailspin, resulting in her having to leave school and continue her classes at home. “I was very depressed and I just wanted to give up. It was so hard to get through the day with the headaches, I couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t remember things. What kept me going? Two things- my family and friends. I just couldn’t let them down.”

In the meantime, dad Ed was developing a sports-related concussion awareness program in and around the state, and has become a staunch supporter of the related bill currently making its way through the Massachusetts legislature.  An elected  Mass. Association of School Committee (MASC) member, he worked with the Board of Directors to develop a concussion policy that can be included in all student athletic handbooks. At the annual MASC State Conference Ed organized several speakers who addressed the schools' role in caring for sport-related head injuries, and held a workshop for SE Mass. coaches presented by the Sports Legacy Institute. But he feels one of his most important contributions was the implementation of a pilot program utilizing the ImPACT baseline testing software at Diman before Michelle graduated. Now athletes who participate in sports take a computerized test, much like a video game, to establish baseline values for memory, concentration and brain processing speed. If they suffer a concussion, they retake the test, and compare it to the pre-season version to see if they are still affected by the injury.Batter Up

Michelle is bouncing back. She no longer has headaches, she can sleep again, and overall is much happier. Part of her renewed zest for life is due to her EMT training, which is something she’s wanted to do since she was a little girl. If she passes her test this April she’ll hang her certificate next to her certified nursing assistant plaque and the 2009 Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association Community Service Award she received for her concussion-awareness work. Not a bad resume for someone who has struggled and given up so much.

“Michelle is a fighter,” says Ed. “She was as an athlete, and now she has been tested as a person. My wife and I couldn’t be prouder of who she is. If she can turn these last two years into something positive, she can handle just about anything.”

 
 

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