Catching up on football concussions, from Pop Warner to the pros

On November 3, 2013, “TechKnow” aired a piece on the dangers of concussions in football and the efforts of sports scientists to make the game safer. As collegiate and professional leagues move towards the playoffs, here are a few updates on concussion stats and protocol from the world of sports:

DECREASE IN POP WARNER PARTICIPATION

In mid-November, ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported that participation in Pop Warner leagues, the nation’s largest organization for youth football, had dropped 9.5 percent from 2010 to 2012. The loss of over 23,000 players is thought to be the largest in a two year period since the organization began keeping statistics several decades ago. The numbers are consistent with USA Football’s report of a 6.7 percent drop in participation.

Researchers cite a number of factors that could contribute to this drop off in participation, including the economic climate as well as the trend of young athletes focusing more specifically on one sport at earlier ages. However, Pop Warner’s chief medical officer Dr. Julian Bailes believes that concern over concussions and other head injuries is the “number one cause.”

"Unless we deal with these truths, we're not going to get past the dropping popularity of the sport and people dropping out of the sport," says Bailes, a former NFL neurosurgeon whose 10-year-old son plays Pop Warner football. "We need to get it right."

NFL INJURY STATS CONTINUE TO RISE

The original “TechKnow” piece on football concussions aired just after Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley suffered a devastating hit and subsequent concussion in week 3 of NFL play, but by now his injury is old news in the league. According to Frontline’s NFL Concussion Watch, at least 50 players have been gone down with concussions in weeks 3-11. Some players, like San Diego Chargers tackle King Dunlap, have already suffered multiple concussions this season.

Dunlap, who suffered a concussion in week three and then again in week seven, was not listed on the official NFL injury report for his second concussion as the Chargers were on a bye and did not have to report injuries in week eight. This made the concussion he sustained in week 10’s game against the Denver Broncos his third for the season.

In week 12 alone, the St. Louis Rams had three major players evaluated for concussion-like symptoms during their game against the Chicago Bears. As reported by the Associated Press via Yahoo! Sports, running back Zac Stacy, guard Chris Williams, and cornerback Trumaine Johnson were all eventually taken out of the game.

CONCUSSION PROTOCOL FAILING?

As more players undergo advanced concussion protocol in the NFL, there is increased concern that sideline tests may not be enough to determine a player’s status and ability to return to the game. This concern came to light on a very public stage in week 11, when Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker took a blow to the head and was allowed to return to the game for a few plays before coaches and trainers pulled him for exhibiting “concussion-like symptoms.”

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote an article after the Broncos victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, claiming that the NFL’s concussion protocol had “failed” in allowing Welker to return to play.

“This flimsy in-game test almost put Welker, who had been concussed, in a situation to take even more severe hits to the head,” Hochman fumes. “That's what the NFL must keep from happening. The commissioner is having enough trouble with concussion issues of past players. He should re-evaluate how well teams handle possible concussions of present players, on the sidelines, in real time.”

CONCERN IN OTHER SPORTS

Football may be the sport with the biggest spotlight on it, but most major sports organizations are re-assessing concussion protocol in light of the long-term health effects that are becoming clearer as players age.

Major League Baseball updated its policy in 2011 to add required neurological testing for blows to the head and mandatory disabled list stints for any player diagnosed with a concussion. The National Basketball Association has a low rate of head injuries, but also established baseline cognitive testing guidelines in 2011.

Reuters (via Yahoo! News) reports that a group of 10 former NHL players have filed a lawsuit, similar to the suit the NFL recently settled, claiming that the league did not do enough to protect its players from concussions. The NHL , like the NFL, has struggled with addressing the concussion problem in a sport where getting hit in the head is a regular part of the game. Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby has been sidelined by concussions in recent seasons, and All-Stars like Eric Lindros and Pat LaFontaine have had their careers cut short over concerns about the long-term effects of head injuries.

To learn more about how scientists and researchers are working to combat football’s concussion concerns, watch “TechKnow,” Sunday 7:30ET/4:30PT.