Dazed and Concussed

Concussions are a topic of discussion in the NFL. I did not see the seriousness of concussions until Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined in the Steelers versus Ravens game. This game had a play-off vibe to it and the Pittsburgh Steelers star quarter back couldn't play because doctors would not clear him. So what's going on with these concussion guidelines? And how can we justify players siting out when they get a ding on the head.

NFL is making strides in concussion management they really care about their players. Current rules state that any player that is knocked unconscious during a game is prohibited from returning. Under new guidelines players who show signs of concussion (i.e. memory loss, wooziness, and saying "I'm batman!") during the game is subject for removal. The player should be protected in this situation during the game to prevent further injury, but the gray area is following week when preparing for the next game how do we know if the player is concussed or milking it?

The new guidelines, prohibits any player that lost consciousness from returning to a game or practice. If you are a concussed player and you are still feeling disorientated, confused, and can't recall what you did 5 seconds ago you can't play or practice. With the new policy every team would be required to use an independent neurologist to determine when a concussed player can be cleared for action. In order for a player to return to play he should have no concussion symptoms and normal neurological test results, so that means exercised induced headaches are considered concussion symptoms.

Concussions vary from person to person so if you have had a bell ringer you do not know how long your symptoms might last. How long the symptoms last, has turned out to be more important than the initial symptoms of concussions in predicting outcomes. Doctors examining the player would want to be sure that all test and symptoms are OK before clearing a player to prevent further injury. We want our gridiron heroes to be around for a while, so these new concussion guidelines are here to prevents our football players brains from turning to instant mash potatoes. Lets preserve our athletes and keep their brains amnesia and dementia free.