Jahvid Best out for season? (1 Viewer)

[Jene Bramel]

A few concussion related thoughts:

**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.

**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.

**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.

Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

 

[th3f00l]

Thread reboot?

 

[LittlePhatty]

I've always been curious. Is a ban like this based on ip address, or could he resurface as Just Cause or Just Kidding, etc?

He already has another alias - Football Critic

 

[Cheesedawg]

A few concussion related thoughts:**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Great post. Thank you for the insight. I think it is very notable that his family thinks he had another concussion two weeks before which wasn't reported. Your information that 92% of recurrent concussions occur within 10 days of another concussion may lend some credence to their belief. I know it is repeatedly being pointed out in this thread that those "close to Best" may not be doctors, but there is no doubt that his family has become well-educated about concussions because of the huge one he had in college. I certainly understand their apprehension. If he did indeed have another concussion a couple of weeks ago, then he's had three this year and four in his relatively recent past. If I was a family member, I'd be telling him not to play again this year also! I hope it is much ado about nothing and he feels great very soon and is able to play before long. My guess is that he will not play again for a long time.

 

[Touchdown There]

A few concussion related thoughts:

**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.

**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.

**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.

Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Great post. Thank you for the insight.I think it is very notable that his family thinks he had another concussion two weeks before which wasn't reported. Your information that 92% of recurrent concussions occur within 10 days of another concussion may lend some credence to their belief. I know it is repeatedly being pointed out in this thread that those "close to Best" may not be doctors, but there is no doubt that his family has become well-educated about concussions because of the huge one he had in college. I certainly understand their apprehension. If he did indeed have another concussion a couple of weeks ago, then he's had three this year and four in his relatively recent past. If I was a family member, I'd be telling him not to play again this year also!

I hope it is much ado about nothing and he feels great very soon and is able to play before long. My guess is that he will not play again for a long time.

Very notable when you add in all the factors. When Best sustained his first concussion in preseason game 2, it was not reported by the Lions as a concussion. It was "neck" or "stinger" or something like that until a few days later when it was changed to concussion. If I remember right, he then sat out preseason game 3 and took the first offensive series in week 4.If Best had another mild concussion in week 4 or 5 that was not reported, then this would be his 3rd concussion within a few months. Family worry should be at full speed with three concussions and under reporting.

 

[Canowupass]

A few concussion related thoughts:**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Good info. Thanks.

 

[solwoldjr]

A few concussion related thoughts:**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

I am not doctor, but it seems to me that certain people are prone to concussions and some are not. There are millions of men/boys that play football every year. A small percentage get concusions. I can't believe that they are the only ones who take hard hits. For whatever physiological reason some get concussed and others do not. I am personally glad that we are taking these injuries more serious. It sucks to hear about the old timers who have physical and mental problems in their 50s due to their days playing football.

 

[dontknowaboutme]

A few concussion related thoughts:**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Thank you for saving me the time in refuting some of what was said earlier, I was going to have to dig up studies to backup the statements I said. Glad you posted this for everyone quoting the Detroit Free Press story.

 

[Short Corner]

A few concussion related thoughts:**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Do you have a link to these studies? Everything I have read has come to the conclusion that returning to competition before the brain has healed is what makes the individual prone to recurring concussions. This would be in line with the 92% occurring within 10 days of the initial injury.

 

[Ketamine Dreams]

Anyone venturing an educated guess how long he will sit out? 4 weeks? 6 weeks? More? Just curious what the thought is for him. I hope he stays healthy and they are cautious with him as this isn't something to mess around with. I have to wonder if we should consider cutting him in fantasy. If he does come back, how many touches will he get?

 

[shnikies]

Anyone venturing an educated guess how long he will sit out? 4 weeks? 6 weeks? More? Just curious what the thought is for him. I hope he stays healthy and they are cautious with him as this isn't something to mess around with. I have to wonder if we should consider cutting him in fantasy. If he does come back, how many touches will he get?

Nobody knows. I can guess for you though. My guess is completely meaningless just like anyone else's. He comes back in 4 weeks and he gets 14 touches the week he comes back. No, wait, 5 weeks and 12 touches.

 

[Bri]

Anyone venturing an educated guess how long he will sit out? 4 weeks? 6 weeks? More? Just curious what the thought is for him. I hope he stays healthy and they are cautious with him as this isn't something to mess around with. I have to wonder if we should consider cutting him in fantasy. If he does come back, how many touches will he get?

there's a chart out there. I don't know what it's called or I'd google it and post.The longer it's been since your concussion, the less likely a re-occurence is. (Note there are plenty of variables like history, meds etc besides time)All-in-all, that chart would probably give an idea when Best could start to make an argument for his return. Regardless of his mood now(I don't recall his) NFL players seem to be itching to play at some point. I imagine that he'll use that chart to state his case.IIRC Steve Young used that chart and I want to guess 6-8 weeks was the window, next was like 3 months which for us means "out for the year."****Really hoping this triggers a thought in someone else and they can find the chart and some quality info. I know it's out there

 

[southeastjerome]

A few concussion related thoughts:**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Do you have a link to these studies? Everything I have read has come to the conclusion that returning to competition before the brain has healed is what makes the individual prone to recurring concussions. This would be in line with the 92% occurring within 10 days of the initial injury.

Link? He's the good doctor.

 

[Jene Bramel]

A few concussion related thoughts:

**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.

**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.

**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.

Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Do you have a link to these studies? Everything I have read has come to the conclusion that returning to competition before the brain has healed is what makes the individual prone to recurring concussions. This would be in line with the 92% occurring within 10 days of the initial injury.

Here's the abstract of the study I'm using as part of my above reference:

Cumulative effects associated with recurrent concussion in collegiate football players: the NCAA Concussion Study.

Guskiewicz KM, McCrea M, Marshall SW, Cantu RC, Randolph C, Barr W, Onate JA, Kelly JP

JAMA. 2003;290(19):2549.

CONTEXT: Approximately 300 000 sport-related concussions occur annually in the United States, and the likelihood of serious sequelae may increase with repeated head injury.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of concussion and time to recovery after concussion in collegiate football players.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study of 2905 football players from 25 US colleges were tested at preseason baseline in 1999, 2000, and 2001 on a variety of measures and followed up prospectively to ascertain concussion occurrence. Players injured with a concussion were monitored until their concussion symptoms resolved and were followed up for repeat concussions until completion of their collegiate football career or until the end of the 2001 football season.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of concussion and repeat concussion; type and duration of symptoms and course of recovery among players who were injured with a concussion during the seasons.

RESULTS: During follow-up of 4251 player-seasons, 184 players (6.3%) had a concussion, and 12 (6.5%) of these players had a repeat concussion within the same season. There was an association between reported number of previous concussions and likelihood of incident concussion. Players reporting a history of 3 or more previous concussions were 3.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.6-5.6) times more likely to have an incident concussion than players with no concussion history. Headache was the most commonly reported symptom at the time of injury (85.2%), and mean overall symptom duration was 82 hours. Slowed recovery was associated with a history of multiple previous concussions (30.0% of those with>or =3 previous concussions had symptoms lasting>1 week compared with 14.6% of those with 1 previous concussion). Of the 12 incident within-season repeat concussions, 11 (91.7%) occurred within 10 days of the first injury, and 9 (75.0%) occurred within 7 days of the first injury.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that players with a history of previous concussions are more likely to have future concussive injuries than those with no history; 1 in 15 players with a concussion may have additional concussions in the same playing season; and previous concussions may be associated with slower recovery of neurological function.

Departments of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA. gus@email.unc.edu

Here's another frequently quoted study that found a nearly six times greater risk for concussion within five years for those having suffered a concussion versus those who did not.Not surprisingly, I again had this very same discussion with a player and coach during a game tonight.

 

[cobalt_27]

A few concussion related thoughts:

**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.

**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.

**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.

Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Do you have a link to these studies? Everything I have read has come to the conclusion that returning to competition before the brain has healed is what makes the individual prone to recurring concussions. This would be in line with the 92% occurring within 10 days of the initial injury.

Here's the abstract of the study I'm using as part of my above reference:

Cumulative effects associated with recurrent concussion in collegiate football players: the NCAA Concussion Study.

Guskiewicz KM, McCrea M, Marshall SW, Cantu RC, Randolph C, Barr W, Onate JA, Kelly JP

JAMA. 2003;290(19):2549.

CONTEXT: Approximately 300 000 sport-related concussions occur annually in the United States, and the likelihood of serious sequelae may increase with repeated head injury.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of concussion and time to recovery after concussion in collegiate football players.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study of 2905 football players from 25 US colleges were tested at preseason baseline in 1999, 2000, and 2001 on a variety of measures and followed up prospectively to ascertain concussion occurrence. Players injured with a concussion were monitored until their concussion symptoms resolved and were followed up for repeat concussions until completion of their collegiate football career or until the end of the 2001 football season.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of concussion and repeat concussion; type and duration of symptoms and course of recovery among players who were injured with a concussion during the seasons.

RESULTS: During follow-up of 4251 player-seasons, 184 players (6.3%) had a concussion, and 12 (6.5%) of these players had a repeat concussion within the same season. There was an association between reported number of previous concussions and likelihood of incident concussion. Players reporting a history of 3 or more previous concussions were 3.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.6-5.6) times more likely to have an incident concussion than players with no concussion history. Headache was the most commonly reported symptom at the time of injury (85.2%), and mean overall symptom duration was 82 hours. Slowed recovery was associated with a history of multiple previous concussions (30.0% of those with>or =3 previous concussions had symptoms lasting>1 week compared with 14.6% of those with 1 previous concussion). Of the 12 incident within-season repeat concussions, 11 (91.7%) occurred within 10 days of the first injury, and 9 (75.0%) occurred within 7 days of the first injury.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that players with a history of previous concussions are more likely to have future concussive injuries than those with no history; 1 in 15 players with a concussion may have additional concussions in the same playing season; and previous concussions may be associated with slower recovery of neurological function.

Departments of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA. gus@email.unc.edu

Here's another frequently quoted study that found a nearly six times greater risk for concussion within five years for those having suffered a concussion versus those who did not.Not surprisingly, I again had this very same discussion with a player and coach during a game tonight.

The difficulty with this kind of research is that it can't refute the hypothesis that some people are neurologically wired to be more predisposed to concussions versus those who do not. It does seem plausible that long-standing brain changes could be sparked by one head injury, thus making one more prone to subsequent concussions. But, to my knowledge, that's just conjecture at this point, and this study doesn't address that issue.

 

[cvnpoka]

it can't refute the hypothesis that some people are neurologically wired to be more predisposed to concussions

not just neurologically, but maybe biomechanically. perhaps the structures that keep the brain in place and with a certain movement pattern differ for ppl.

 

[Jene Bramel]

The difficulty with this kind of epidemiological research is that it can't refute the hypothesis that some people are neurologically wired to be more predisposed to concussions versus those who do not. It does seem plausible that long-standing brain changes could be sparked by one head injury, thus making one more prone to subsequent concussions. But, to my knowledge, that's just conjecture at this point, and this study doesn't address that issue.

I don't think the point of the epidemiological research is to refute such hypotheses. Hopefully, they'll help to focus further research rather than send us down false pathways.Not only do I think your premise is plausible, I think it's highly likely that there's some underlying neurochemical or neuroanatomical issue that predisposes some people to traumatic brain injury and the symptom complexes that follow. There may have been studies done addressing some part of that question, but I'm not up to date on that specific field of research.

 

[Short Corner]

A few concussion related thoughts:

**An athlete who has sustained one concussion is at increased risk for another future head injury. The risk is generally thought to decline with time. One study found a three fold increased risk of a subsequent concussion in the same season, another found that 92% of recurrent injuries occur within 10 days of the initial injury. The increased risk of sustaining future concussions persists longer after you've had multiple concussions.

**Those who have had multiple concussions are more likely to have more serious symptoms with subsequent concussions, notably loss of consciousness, memory loss and confusion and a longer time for resolution of those symptoms after injury.

**There is no textbook answer to how many concussions it takes to end a player's career. As quoted in a post above, that decision is very much made on a case-by-case basis. If care is taken on the sideline and in return to play decision-making, a player *should* be at his neurologic baseline before returning to play. At that point, it's up to the player to decide whether he is comfortable with his particular increased risk (be it threefold or whatever the most up-to-date study suggests) and associated factors (severity of previous concussions, concern about future quality of life, etc) profile.

Unfortunately, whether they were meant to be deliberately provocative or not, you'd be surprised at how many still hold the views that Just Cuz posted. I still see it all too often on Friday nights during high school games and there may well have been some element of it with Best (and Vick) last week, too.

Do you have a link to these studies? Everything I have read has come to the conclusion that returning to competition before the brain has healed is what makes the individual prone to recurring concussions. This would be in line with the 92% occurring within 10 days of the initial injury.

Here's the abstract of the study I'm using as part of my above reference:

Cumulative effects associated with recurrent concussion in collegiate football players: the NCAA Concussion Study.

Guskiewicz KM, McCrea M, Marshall SW, Cantu RC, Randolph C, Barr W, Onate JA, Kelly JP

JAMA. 2003;290(19):2549.

CONTEXT: Approximately 300 000 sport-related concussions occur annually in the United States, and the likelihood of serious sequelae may increase with repeated head injury.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of concussion and time to recovery after concussion in collegiate football players.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study of 2905 football players from 25 US colleges were tested at preseason baseline in 1999, 2000, and 2001 on a variety of measures and followed up prospectively to ascertain concussion occurrence. Players injured with a concussion were monitored until their concussion symptoms resolved and were followed up for repeat concussions until completion of their collegiate football career or until the end of the 2001 football season.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of concussion and repeat concussion; type and duration of symptoms and course of recovery among players who were injured with a concussion during the seasons.

RESULTS: During follow-up of 4251 player-seasons, 184 players (6.3%) had a concussion, and 12 (6.5%) of these players had a repeat concussion within the same season. There was an association between reported number of previous concussions and likelihood of incident concussion. Players reporting a history of 3 or more previous concussions were 3.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.6-5.6) times more likely to have an incident concussion than players with no concussion history. Headache was the most commonly reported symptom at the time of injury (85.2%), and mean overall symptom duration was 82 hours. Slowed recovery was associated with a history of multiple previous concussions (30.0% of those with>or =3 previous concussions had symptoms lasting>1 week compared with 14.6% of those with 1 previous concussion). Of the 12 incident within-season repeat concussions, 11 (91.7%) occurred within 10 days of the first injury, and 9 (75.0%) occurred within 7 days of the first injury.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that players with a history of previous concussions are more likely to have future concussive injuries than those with no history; 1 in 15 players with a concussion may have additional concussions in the same playing season; and previous concussions may be associated with slower recovery of neurological function.

Departments of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA. gus@email.unc.edu

Here's another frequently quoted study that found a nearly six times greater risk for concussion within five years for those having suffered a concussion versus those who did not.Not surprisingly, I again had this very same discussion with a player and coach during a game tonight.

Thanks Doc. Now I have to find some time to go over this

 

[ponchsox]

Morris/Williams did ok today, but Stafford really missed Best out there when the defense brought pressure and he didn't have Best in the flat to chuck it to.

 

[Short Corner]

Morris/Williams did ok today, but Stafford really missed Best out there when the defense brought pressure and he didn't have Best in the flat to chuck it to.

Didn't really matter. Stafford couldn't make a pass to the flat today when he had someone open anyway. He was pretty horrible today.

 

[jon_mx]

Stafford is showing he is not a very good QB when he is under pressure.