Many athletes think they’ll never make it to the big league unless they’re willing to play hard and take a few knocks on the field. But does playing hard mean that they should play hurt—especially if they’ve had a blow to the head?
At every level of competitive sports, coaches, athletes and parents are rethinking when it’s appropriate for athletes return to the game. As Children’s Hospital Boston’s William Meehan, MD, director of the Sports Concussion Clinic in the Division of Sports Medicine, writes in an article for The MetroWest Daily News, the days of an athlete having his bell rung and then jumping back int to the game are gone. Read his story here and tell us what you think.
Last week, Massachusetts lawmakers proposed a new state bill aimed at minimizing concussion injuries in youth athletes that would force coaches, trainers, parent volunteers and others affiliated with school athletic programs to be trained in recognizing potentially concussed athletes. The bill would also require physician authorization in order for an athlete to return to competition post-concussion.
