‘Act now on rugby players’ safety – don’t kick the can down the road’
Action must be taken now to protect current and future [...]
‘Temporary concussion substitutes are needed’ – PFA
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has added its weight to calls for newly-introduced trials around concussions substitutions to go further.
The PFA, the union representing professional players, has said temporary concussion substitutions need to be considered, in addition to the permanent substitutions which are currently offered under the Premier League trial. Their comments come after the use of the first concussion substitution in football, after West Ham’s Issa Diop was replaced after a clash of heads with Anthony Martial of Manchester United.
Concussion substitute use in football “deeply flawed”
The first use of a concussion substitute in football in the UK has highlighted the "deeply flawed" nature of the newly-introduced rule, according to brain injury charity Headway.
After 36 minutes of an FA Cup match between Manchester United and West Ham United last night, Anthony Martial (Manchester United) and Issa Diop (West Ham United) clashed heads at a corner kick. The players received on-pitch treatment for two minutes before they then both returned to the field of play, only for Diop to be removed at half time, becoming the first player to be substituted via the new protocol.
Concussion substitutions approved in football – but move ‘doesn’t go far enough’
Years of campaigning for concussion substitutions to be introduced into football look set to deliver some success, with Premier League clubs preparing to adopt the policy to help address the need to protect players from the effects of head injury.
In a trial move, expected to take effect from fixtures next week, teams can use up to two substitutes in the event of head injuries, which will be in addition to the usual three substitutions that can be made in a normal match. The substitutions - which will be permanent and not for 10-minute durations as in rugby, to allow for players to leave the pitch for medical assessment and return if deemed able - are expected to be approved at a meeting of the Premier League tomorrow.
Rugby facing lawsuit over neurodegenerative diseases
Eight former professional rugby players are planning a groundbreaking lawsuit against the sport's governing bodies which could massively shake up its safety regulations.
Despite being under the age of 45, all the players involved have been diagnosed with early onset dementia, which is likely to have come from repeated head trauma while playing the sport. The lawsuit will be filed against the sports worldwide governing body World Rugby, as well as the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union. Solicitor Richard Boardman of Rylands Law is leading the case, representing more than 100 former players who have complained about symptoms of neurological conditions.
Using flies to better understand brain injuries
Fruit flies have helped researchers in the US better understand the impact of small brain injuries on the nervous system.
Scientists from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) used the flies to examine how damage to a small amount of neurons can cause a chain reaction across the brain, stopping activity in neurons that were uninjured.
“She’s just highly strung or emotional” – how female brain injuries are going undetected
Various studies suggest that women and girls sustain more concussions, at a higher rate than their male counterparts in the same sports. A recent National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program study, for example, shows the rate of concussion per 1000 athlete-exposures in football is 6.3 in females versus 3.4 in males. Similar differences were noted in basketball (6.0 in females versus 3.9 in males) and baseball/softball (3.3 versus 0.9). Women are also known to experience more severe symptoms, and take longer to recover.
Rugby’s battle with concussion threat
Addressing the challenge of concussion in rugby is like a [...]
