Dr. Colvin discusses concussion management in NFL players

Posted by on Dec 16, 2011 in Dr. Alexis C. Colvin, Health | No Comments

Earlier this week, an Associated Press report, citing NFL data, showed that from the start of the preseason through Week 8, there were 154 concussions reported.

That’s up 21 percent from 127 in 2009, and 34 percent from 115 over that period in 2008.

But just as the problem with diagnosing these head injuries is the gray area relating to the degrees of the injury and the willingness of players to come out of games, the above figures can be twisted and turned, and made to look as one making an argument one way or the other would like.

On one hand, the numbers could be used to highlight how players are getting bigger and faster and stronger, and the collisions are simply becoming too much for the body to take. On the other, these statistics could also indicate progress in players and teams being more responsible in reporting the incidents.

No matter how you look at it, the “culture change” in the handling of concussions in the NFL gets one heck of a litmus test this Sunday night with the twice-concussed-in-2010 Aaron Rodgers in the spotlight.

Full Article on NFL.com

 

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