Massachusetts Injury Lawyer Blog

More than 330 students suffered head injuries and concussions last fall at 26 high schools in the region, according to a survey by The Boston Globe. This is the first time Massachusetts high schools and middle schools have been required to report injuries under a new state law.

Football accounted for the majority of injuries, with 207 reported head injuries. Girls soccer followed with 85 head injuries, compared with 46 among boy soccer players.

Robert Cantu, a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Boston University School of Medicine, told theGlobe that football is the leading cause of head injuries among student high school athletes nationwide. He estimated that for every concussion recognized in football, 6 to 8 go unreported.

Concussions are a brain injury which can result when student athletes are struck in the head, collide with each other or engage in unsafe play. One recent study has documented how excessively heading the ball in soccer causes trauma to the brain as well. Symptoms can include headache, nausea, dizziness and confusion. Concussions have the best chance for recovery when given proper rest.

In 2010, Massachusetts passed a new law aimed at preventing concussions among high school athletes and protecting them from long-term injury. Since last September, students, parents and coaches have been required to receive annual training on recognizing and treating concussions; students who sustain concussions must obtain medical clearance before returning to play. Schools must report the number of injuries to the state Department of Public Health.

The 26 schools reported 338 head injuries. Marshfield and Newton South high schools reported the largest number of head injuries, followed by Lexington, Duxbury and Wakefield. Some coaches in these districts say the higher numbers reflect the community's work to educate students and parents.

Some schools have gone beyond the requirements of the law and are utilizing ImPACT testing, a computerized cognitive test used to help evaluate whether a student is ready to return to the field. Some school districts are providing free physicals and staffing a doctor at every football game.

Finally, some athletic directors report their coaches are focusing on safe playing techniques while others are seeking new football helmets for players.

Related:

• Massachusetts Concussion Law


• Massachusetts Baseball Safety


• Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association

Continue reading "Head Injuries and Concussions Being Tracked Among Massachusetts Student Athletes" »

Student-athletes in Massachusetts will add a new drill to their warm ups this fall: concussion training aimed at preventing deaths, long-term injuries and disabilities.

In 2010, the state Legislature passed a law requiring training and education for anyone involved in public middle school and high school sports. The Department of Public Health issued guidelines in June detailing the requirements, which include:

• Parents, players, coaches, school nurses, volunteers and others involved in sports must participate in annual state-approved training on how to recognize the symptoms of concussions.
• Schools have a few options for fulfilling the training requirement, including offering training materials at parent meetings and online trainings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
• Student-athletes who suffer a head injury must be immediately removed from play and get medical clearance before returning.
• Student-athletes diagnosed with a concussion must have a written plan for returning to the game and the classroom.
• Student-athletes with a history of head injuries must file an injury report before every season.

Across the country, an estimated 136,000 student-athletes suffer concussions in high school sports each year.

Concussions are often referred to as a "metabolic cascade," a series of changes in which the brain's nerve cells stop functioning properly and blood flow slows down.

Concussions can occur when athletes collide with other players, equipment or the ground. It is important for people who suffer concussions to reduce physical and cognitive activity. When there is a subsequent injury, concussions can be fatal and result in long term injuries impacting memory, mood and impulses.

Concussions can be difficult to diagnose in part because the effects are not visible on imaging tools such as CT scans or MRIs.

Massachusetts schools are making changes as awareness about concussions increases throughout the sports and medical community. Starting this fall, Ivy League football players are limited to suiting up for two full-contact practices each week. The pending contract agreement will implement new guidelines for National Football League (NFL) players as well.

For more information, click to read this article in The Boston Globe.

Continue reading "Head Injury Guidelines Begin for Student-Athletes This Fall" »