Michigan Needs Law Addressing Youth Concussions

Dear Editor,

Nobody wants to miss the big game, and that includes those of us who want to watch it and those fortunate enough to compete in it. As physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians at Oakwood Healthcare, we can’t help but think about the number of concussions, head injuries and traumatic brain injuries that affect athletes—particularly those that occurred this football season.

Super Bowl participant and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion earlier in the season. Kevin Kolb of the Eagles lost his starting position to Michael Vick over a concussion. Detroit Lions linebacker Zack Follett was ruled out from the first matchup against the Minnesota Vikings for the same reason. Brett Favre missed time after he suffered a concussion, too.

Concussions are on the rise in professional hockey as well; the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby is still off the ice after a concussion suffered last year. Youth hockey coaches are becoming more aware of the problem and are trying to address it.

It is natural for these and other athletes to want to return to the field as soon as possible.

We spend our days diagnosing, managing and treating concussions, head injuries and traumatic brain injuries. These are serious injuries, and prevention is an even more important issue for athletes under the age of 19. Since their brains are still developing, they are much more vulnerable to lasting brain damage than adults are. We treat young athletes frequently, and it’s so important to educate those involved with youth sports and to help them properly identify head injuries and to know when to safely return athletes to competition.

While most will have an excellent recovery, those who return to play too early can suffer a “second impact syndrome” which can have catastrophic consequences. Holding athletes out of sports until the signs and symptoms of the concussion have cleared can prevent these complications.

Many sports carry some risk of concussions, but the benefits of sports participation clearly outweigh the risks in our youth athletes. Parents of players cannot help but be concerned and even alarmed at the potential risk their children face when participating in organized sports, but if we can minimize the effects of concussion through public education and improved mandated health measures, it would make all of us more comfortable about youth athletic participation.

Last month, Congress—with the support of the NFL—introduced legislation to set minimum safety standards to help reduce the risk of concussions in youth sports by asking school districts across the country to implement a concussion safety and management plan.

The NFL has also joined with health care providers, athletic trainers, coaches and parents to educate, advocate and spread awareness about concussions to prevent the “second impact syndrome” that results from traumatizing already injured neurons in the brain. Such was the case with Zackery Lystedt, disabled after a 2006 incident; a 2009 state law in Washington is named for him.

The NFL has pledged to pass laws in all 50 states to help protect athletes by advocating that a health care provider first clear these athletes before they return to sports.

Eight states have already passed these laws. Michigan should be one of the next to consider this legislation.

By keeping our athletes safer when they’re young and educating their team of parents, coaches and trainers on the dangers of returning them to play too early, we can ensure that nobody misses a big game.

Jay M. Meythaler, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oakwood Healthcare
Wayne State University School of Medicine

Barbara Semakula, M.D.
Chief Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oakwood Healthcare
Wayne State University