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NFL Study Finds LInk to Dementia

The defending Heisman Trophy winner, heart and soul of the number one college football team in the country and the man crush of half the state of Florida, Tim Tebow, suffered a concussion in Florida's destruction of Kentucky last Saturday. Tebow's injury was significant enough to warrant his spending the night in the hospital in Lexington before returning to Gainesville on Sunday. Rather rashly, but totally in character, Florida coach Urban Meyer is suggesting that Tebow will likely be ready to play when the Gators take on number 4 LSU a week from Saturday.

It's timely then that a study commissioned by the NFL reports that Alzheimer?s disease or similar memory-related diseases appear to have been diagnosed in the league?s former players vastly more often than in the national population ? including a rate of 19 times the normal rate for men ages 30 through 49.

The NFL has long denied that its players have suffered cognitive disorders at a rate higher than average and predictably, the hired gun physicians are quick to find fault with this study. It is admittedly not a definitive study but it adds to the growing literature both anecdotal and clinical that are developing a fairly convincing case and one that needs to be heeded by the coaches and parents of youth, high school and college players. Far too often, these young players are quick to emulate their NFL idols who are paid to play through pain or a concussed head, which may not feel much different than how they feel after being numbed up to forget the myriad of other minor injuries they may have. The sooner concussions are taken seriously for the potential long-term damage that may result, the safer our young and old athletes will be.

Full post as published by Sports Biz on September 30, 2009 (boomark / email).