Concussion Rule

[fairfooty]

Re: Now the AFL decides to change rules 3 days before round 1

Bit late I know but finally someone talks some sense. Good post - agree with every word. As I said in a thread last year let's call concussion what it is - mild brain injury - and the long-term effects of multiple concussive injuries are clear, evidence-based and serious - full stop - and have been well documented for a long time. In a study of retired American footballers not one had a normal MRI at the end of their career - and thats frightening. (Yes I know they wear helmets but the contre coup mechanics (smashing of the brain from side to side and around the 'attachment' to the spinal cord inside the skull on impact) of brain injury are similar - helmet or not).

The effects can vary from person to person. Although rare, one concussive incident can be enough to finish the career of some susceptible footballers - others it will take multiple incidents over a longer period of time.

As a rehabber of people with brain injury for many years, it is not pretty to see the high level cognitive dysfunction and loss of corporate ability (in the neurological sense) which destroys relationships, reduces behavioural inhibition and anger control and destroys post-sport career possibilities, opportunities and earning potential. Disability pension for life for some of our post concussive football stars? No (relatively) short-term sporting career, however glittering, is worth that IMO.

The AFL is wise to introduce this rule to protect itself and its players in the face of the sound evidence of the long-term effects. The rule may need tightening as time goes by, similar to the protocols in American football but its a very very good start.. And if while the rule is bedded down and the Docs become more accurate with off-field management we have a few 'false positives' - who cares - thats better than a lifetime of subsequent disability.

Whilst I am a bit wary of the AFL's cynicism at times and I dislike a lot of their knee-jerk rule changes this is one which I believe is overdue if a little underdone in the area of independant medical assessment. This is clearly a rule which will protect players even if the AFL's intention is to protect themselves and they should be applauded for it. I am inclined to call this rule the Selwood rule as it will probably force players to have a little more regard for their own safety in regard to head high contact. In fact, I have to admit that I am now beginning to view the league's intention of slowing down the game in a slightly different light following some investigation into the dangers of concussion injury and the recent speeding up of the game due to increased rotations.

Whether we like it or not our game has become faster and a recent study found that player speed had increased significantly. It was not that long ago that players had to miss a week if they were concussed so the new rule is fairly innocuous by comparison. There is at the same time compelling evidence coming out of the USA that the effects of concussion on the brain in NFL and NHL players are far worse than previously thought and studies of retired players show alarmingly high rates of brain degradation in the form of dementia and other disabilities. If we don't act now to limit the possibility for latent brain injury, we will condemn our star players to similar outcomes in their retirement and I for one cannot justify such a cost purely for my pleasure of watching a fast paced sport.

 

[Fossie 32]

Re: Now the AFL decides to change rules 3 days before round 1

Bit late I know but finally someone talks some sense. Good post - agree with every word. As I said in a thread last year let's call concussion what it is - mild brain injury - and the long-term effects of multiple concussive injuries are clear, evidence-based and serious - full stop - and have been well documented for a long time. In a study of retired American footballers not one had a normal MRI at the end of their career - and thats frightening. (Yes I know they wear helmets but the contre coup mechanics (smashing of the brain from side to side and around the 'attachment' to the spinal cord inside the skull on impact) of brain injury are similar - helmet or not).
..................

Good to hear from someone with your first hand experience