Concussions have become a hot-button topic all over the country. As science and medicine are continuing to discover how big an impact head injuries can have on someone’s day-to-day functions and future livelihood, sports organizations, and even Congress are beginning to take notice. Just this week, the NFL made its players aware of a new policy that will institute suspensions for its athletes for malicious helmet-to-helmet hits on a defenseless player. While once seen as a minor deterrent, the long-term effects associated with concussions have helped to paint a frightening portrait of what’s to come for our favorite athletes if they aren’t properly protected.
Starting Monday, The Lantern will run a series on concussions beginning with part 1, prevention.
Part 1 will be focusing on what can be done to better prepare oneself for avoiding a head injury, as well as offering a detailed look into why concussions are so hard to predict, who gets them, and what’s being done to protect athletes from having to worry about receiving one.
Part 2, running Tuesday focuses on treatment. The story explains the dangers caused by head injuries both physically and mentally, what physicians and trainers look for in terms of symptoms, and what athletic trainers are doing to ensure that football players are ready to play after going through a concussion.
Part 3, Second Impact Syndrome, focuses on a rare condition associated with a second head injury. SIS can lead to permanent disabilities and even death, but determining who’s susceptible to SIS is nearly impossible beforehand.
Make sure to check out The Lantern in print or online for this exclusive look at concussions.
