by brettb on August 30, 2010
Sometimes, when kids play sports they get hurt. Especially in contact sports – kids can sprain ankles, brake bones, and even suffer a concussion or MTBI. Unfortunately, it happens. But according to new research, it is happening more often.
Sports related concussions have doubled from 1997 to 2007 for children
As reported by the New York Times, the number of children athletes who have been treated in emergency rooms with sports-related concussions – a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) – increased two-fold from 1997 to 2007.
And for young athletes aged 14 – 19, MTBI or concussions have tripled during that same time period.
The study was recently published in the journal Pediatrics. It looks specifically at emergency room visits and treatment of young athletes for concussions.
According to the data collected by the study, there were over 500,000 children (8 – 19) treated in emergency rooms for concussion (MTBI) from 2001 through 2005.
These statistics are alarming. But consider two additional variables: first, many experts believe that concussions and MTBI in general are under-reported and not all MTBI involve a trip to the ER; second, during the same time period involve in the study, participation in team sports decreased slightly for children.
by brettb on August 10, 2010
Traumatic brain injury – both TBI and MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) – is a serious problems across the country.
MTBI is a serious concerns for NFL players
There are over 1.4 million injury victims treated for brain injuries every year in hospitals and emergency rooms. And the number of traumatic brain injuries that go untreated every year by most exerts’ estimations is staggering.
We here at San Francisco Personal Injury Law Answers have written about TBI and MTBI often and have discussed the issues around these injuries, the NFL, and youth sports previously – click here and here.
And this problem and these injuries are no greater a concern then with youth athletes. The National Institutes of Health has declared that we are in the midst of a “national epidemic” of concussions and other head injuries.
And despite stumbling a bit on this issue the NFL has responded in a serious and concerned manner. And for good reason. Dan Rather presents an article and video report on the Huffington Post about the problem of mild traumatic brain injury in the NFL and youth sports.
The reason what the NFL does on the issues is so carefully watched is because what the NFL does on this issues has a tendency to “trickle down,” according to Rather’s report, to youth teams and leagues.
Leading the NFL’s Committee charged with addressing this problem are Doctors Richard Ellenbogen and Hunt Batjer – both are preeminent neurosurgeons specializing in mild traumatic brain injuries also known as concussion.
Their goals are simple yet ambitious: better equipment (for instance, helmets with sensors), establish a database on NFL players, tracking retired NFL players for signs of problems related to head injuries and educating the public about head trauma – especially, as Rather’s report points out, where multiple concussions are involved.
by brettb on June 22, 2010
Recently, NPR and ProPubica produced a report and series of stories on traumatic brain injuries and how the military is failing our troops in the treatment and diagnosis of these injuries including mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).
Troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer more traumatic brain injuries than in previous conflicts - 115,000 since the wars began
We here at San Francisco Injury Law Answers covered those stories – see traumatic brain injury report. Well, it appears that NPR has ruffled some feathers. As Senators pressed military leaders today in hearings about their attempts to improve efforts at addressing traumatic brain injuries among the troops, the military leaders took issue with NPR’s reporting.
Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army’s vice chief of staff, stated that the Army had made strides in addressing both TBI and MTBI and took issue with NPR’s stories. The General specifically took issue with what he referred to as NPR’s attempts to draw distinctions between traumatic brain injury, or TBI, and post-traumatic stress, or PTS. However, the general pointed to no factual errors in the report or stories.
For the record, in the traumatic brain injury stories produced by NPR and ProPublica they pointed out that TBI and PTSD often overlap and have common symptoms. But what NPR and ProPublica also did, was to accurately point out that there were military doctors who have expressed suspicion or skepticism regarding mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and its impact on individuals.
The brain injury stories also pointed out extensive evidence of how military doctors were simply not diagnosing mild traumatic brain injuries, when there was evidence of symptoms, both on the battlefield and after soldiers come home. General Chiarelli did not dispute these details specifically.
by brettb on June 21, 2010
A brain injury study recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal is telling people what personal injury attorneys and attorneys who deal with brain injuries have known for quite some time – there is no excuse not to wear a helmet when engaged in a recreational activity – helmets help prevent traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Helmet use reduces the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI)
The study looked specifically at the risk of head or brain injury among skies and snowboarders. In the past some had argued that helmets could actually increase the risk of neck injuries, especially with children due to their greater head to body ratio. But the study’s findings did not support this position.
Traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of death among skiers and snowboarders. And according to Science Daily, head injuries account for 19% of all injuries reported by skiers and snowboarders.
The brain injury study was actually an analysis of 12 different studies from Europe, Asia, and North America. And what the researchers found was that the use of helmets significantly reduces the risk of traumatic brain injury among skiers and snowboarders – between 2 and 5 out of every 10 head injuries could be prevented.
So, the next time you or your kids decide to hit the slopes – put on the appropriate helmet.
