TMC PULSE

t m c » p u l s e | j a n / f e b 2 0 1 7 29 hurt and you can't see it when it's healed. But when you look at the numbers and you see the dif- ference before an injury and after an injury, that's when you really realize the extent of the harm you can't visually see." Before his concussion, Luke performed well on two ImPACT index scores that measured his reaction time and visual motor speed. But the injury to his brain significantly affected his num- bers. For example, he scored in the 90th percentile for reaction time on the baseline test, but his scores dropped down to the fourth percentile after his concussion. "It was eye opening to see the impact that one moment can have," Margie said. "Certainly, you hate to see this happen again." Currently, there is no medication to cure concussions. The standard protocol is to rest, avoid strenuous physical activity and abstain from using electronic devices until the symptoms fade—challenging tasks for many passionate athletes. "I started getting angry at myself because I wasn't able to play and that was something I wanted to do very badly," Luke said. "But I learned that I have to let my body heal because if I don't, there can be even worse side effects in the future." After sustaining a concussion, it's common for students to experience difficulties remembering T H E PA R K LA N E L uxury Apartments www.Theparklane.com Corporate Units Avaliable For 3 Month+ Leases Medical Stays Visiting Academic and Medical Professionals On Site Dog Park Shuttle to all Major Hospitals in the Texas Medical Center Electric Vehicle Charging Stations On-Site Storage Included Assigned Garage Parking No Water or Garbage Bills 24hr. Valet & Concierge Service Pets Accepted Minutes from Texas Medical Center Sophisticated Surveillance System Discount to Texas Medical Center Employees NEW! 1701 Hermann Dr. I 713.526.VIEW Both furnished and unfurnished corporate units available! lessons, concentrating in the classroom and managing schoolwork. In addition to the mental strain, the bright lights, screens and loud, noisy hallways in schools can also exacerbate concus- sion symptoms and prolong recovery time. "Especially in the daytime, he appeared okay, but sometimes I would pick him up from school and I'd ask, 'What happened in this class or that class?' and he'd go, 'I truly don't remember much about it,'" Margie recalled. "It was very much like the lights were on, but nobody was home." It took Luke about four weeks of rest before being cleared for football practice. During that time, he was not allowed to watch television or look at computer or phone screens. To ease concussed students back into school, Podell recommends a modified class schedule and workload—including no school or half days, less homework and fewer tests, and no extracur- ricular activity until symptoms clear up. Pros and cons Over the past decade, the NFL and the National Collegiate Athletic Association have come under intense fire for failing to act when football players have sustained damaging hits to the head. In 2016, researchers at Boston University linked the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, to dozens of former players, including Frank Gifford, Junior Seau and Ken Stabler. Currently, the condition can only be diagnosed posthumously by analyzing the brain tissue of athletes who have sustained repeated head injuries and concussions. In response to growing criticism, the NFL and NCAA instituted new rules to mitigate risks and improve player safety. In 2011, the NFL moved kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line to increase touch- backs and reduce kick returns, widely considered to be among the most dangerous plays in football. The NCAA followed suit the next year and also moved touchbacks to the 25-yard line. This rule change vexed many coaches who believed it would jeopardize the nature of the game, though it proved to be effective in decreasing the number of concussions. Spotters were placed in the press boxes to monitor the game and watch for players exhib- iting concussion-like symptoms. More coaches began to pull their players out of games and get them into treatment earlier, and players started to be fined for violating concussion protocol. It's not a perfect system and, most likely, never will be. Players will continue to get injured from crushing hits at every level of the game, yet football remains an inveterate obsession for many Americans, including Luke Venus. (continued)

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