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NFL Institutes New Policy On Concussions

Reporting
Dr. Maria Simbra

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Ben Roethlisberger walks off the field after apparently suffering a concussion during the Kansas City game.
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There is a new policy for this week's NFL games. A concussion can keep a player out of the game.

"These are high velocity in very large athletes. I don't think we should be discounting the types of injuries that can occur," says AGH neurologist Dr. A. Tayal.

Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all teams saying a player with a concussion should not return to play on the same day if he can't remember plays or has persistent dizziness or headache.

Of course, a day is the minimum.

"We see people with post-concussive syndrome who are symptomatic for weeks at a time," says Dr. Tayal.

The amount of time to stay out depends on the assessment of trained professionals.

The American Academy of Neurology is encouraged that the NFL will be requiring an independent neurologist to evaluate players who have suffered a concussion.

"There are pressures both to allow a player to compete and to make the right decision, to hold them out if they think they're at risk, or if it may impair their performance on the field, because of a lack of concentration or severe headaches, or dizziness that might affect performance," Dr. Tayal continues.

There is danger in a second concussion closely following a first.

"In very rare circumstances, if they suffer a second concussion, they experience sudden death, and it is within hours of the second concussion," explains AGH neurosurgeon Dr. Matthew Quigley. "Nationwide, it may happen once or twice a year, so it's a very rare phenomenon."

And there is potentially long-term danger as well with Alzheimer's-type troubles called dementia. Unfortunately, specific information on football players and head injuries is incomplete, so experience is drawn from other sports.

"We're drawing parallels. We're basically saying to some extent that being a football player and having repeated knocks to the head is similar to being a prize fighter and taking fewer, but more severe shots to the head," points out Dr. Quigley, "and just like not every prize fighter becomes demented, not every football player becomes demented."

Some fans think the new policy is just right while others think it's too tight.

"The NFL is starting to turn into a sissy game," says Anthony Hager of Homewood.

"They shouldn't go back in. You don't know how he is. Goes back in, something happens, he gets paralyzed. Then what are they gonna do?" says Bill Martin of Uniontown.

"After a concussion, maybe they should take maybe like a little rest and go in for some part of the game," says Tiffany Thornhill of Beechview.

"I don't think you should be able to, because it could lead to, you know, something else worse than a concussion," says Enis Davis of Clairton.