Complete rest necessary for concussions, doctor says

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Concussions require extended periods of rest and limited physical activity in order to recover quickly. But a Cape Girardeau doctor encourages young athletes to also take a mental break.

Dr. Stephen Jordan, a neuropsychologist at St. Francis Medical Center, says any physical or mental stress extends the length of recovery.

"We not only need to keep the kids from participating in sports and over-stressing themselves physically," Dr. Jordan said. "We also need to cut back on their academic demands to let the brain rest from having to think too hard through that period, and finding that balance between not falling too far behind in their classroom but not pushing them too hard either."

Jordan says reducing the amount of time spent in front of a cell phone, computer, television or any other flashing light will help speed up the recovery time.

The typical recovery period can last from a couple days to eight weeks, depending on the severity of the concussion.

Full participation in any activity should not begin until all signs of a headache have disappeared.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Mo. Senate committee dives head-first into concussion legislation

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The man who saved Super Bowl 34 for the St. Louis Rams urged Missouri lawmakers Tuesday to protect young football players from concussions.

Mike Jones says many athletes come back before they're ready.

"A lot of times young people are out there, they might have an injury and they might want to go back out there or their parents may not understand the significance of their injuries," Jones said. "We need this bill right here to help them support what they are doing and and understand exactly what's out there."

Jones was one of dozens to testify on the bill.

The bill protects athletes by creating a waiting time after suffering a head injury and requiring a physician to approve the athlete's return to play.

Opponents have concerns about enforcement and liability issues.

St Louis County's Democratic Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal says she thinks individual school districts should determine the rules for athletes and the legislation opens up schools to lawsuits.

"As a schoolboard member in my other capacity I see potential for liability to go back to the school district and I am not too sure if we want our insurance rates to go continuously up," she said.

A committee vote may on it as soon as today.

Emily Kissee, Missouri Digital News

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Repetitive head hits can bring lifelong repercussions

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The long-term impacts of concussions and repeated hits to the head lead to greater incidence of dementia and other disorders later in life.

That’s the message that Chris Nowinski brought to St. Francis Medical Center on Thursday. Nowinskispoke with about 40 junior high and high school coaches about concussions and a degenerative brain disorder called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE.

"What we’re finding is that hits to the head as a young person will spark this degenerative process that will follow you for the rest of your life and in a lot of ways will destroy your life. That means that we need to be much careful with not only concussions but also sub-concussive hits. Just the repetitive hits to your head that don’t cause symptoms but frankly are still bad for your brain," Nowinski says.

Symptoms of CTE include short term memory loss, violent outbursts, loss of impulse control, and depression.

CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem. Dave Duerson of the NFL’s Chicago Bears committed suicide in February of this year. Study of his brain suggests that he suffered from CTE.

Nowinski is the president and CEO of Sports Legacy Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Nowinski is aHarvard graduate and former professional wrestler who retired from the WWE in 2003 after at least 6 concussions.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Doctors support Mo. concussion bill

ST. LOUIS, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - A bill that would help protect high school athletes from concussions is getting support from health care professionals in St. Louis.

Among other measures, the High School Sports Brain Injury Prevention Act would require student athletes to be cleared by a doctor before returning to play or practice.

The director of the Pediatric Neurocritical Care Program at St. Louis Children's Hospital says there's no such thing as a mild brain injury.

Dr. Jose Pineda says the effects of a concussion can be delayed for hours after an accident. They can range from short-term irritability and headaches to long-term cognitive impairment, and even death.

He says the best treatment is rest - both physical and mental.

“Before you go back to intense sports activities or intense testing or cognitive activities at school, you should be cleared by someone who has expertise in concussion,” Dr. Pineda said.

Eureka High School sophomore Connor Pahl knows about traumatic brain injury first hand. He got a concussion playing goalie for his varsity soccer team last fall.

Speaking at a press event at St. Louis Children's Hospital, Pahl says his coach did the right thing making him sit out the rest of the season.

“I went to every practice and game to support them, and my coach wouldn't let me even kick a soccer ball without a doctor saying I could, so that was good,” Pahl said.

The High School Sports Brain Injury Prevention Act is currently awaiting a committee vote in the Missouri House of Representatives. 

As many as 140,000 U.S. high school athletes sustain concussions each year. 

Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio

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