General Concussion thread

[McTallshort]

I wouldn't be surprised if the revelation of widespread brain deterioration in pro rugby players makes George North retire on the spot. He is surely compounding his issues with every single game he plays?

I hate watching him play now. Man shouldn't risk it anymore

 

[Which Tyler]

I wouldn't be surprised if the revelation of widespread brain deterioration in pro rugby players makes George North retire on the spot. He is surely compounding his issues with every single game he plays?

He's been advised to on several occasions

 

[j-dawg]

I was seeing the same specialist that he was. He was in the same clinic at a time when I didn't think he had suffered a knock recently. It made me think that head knocks happen in training as well as games so there may be even more. Then again, could easily be a standard check up.

 

[RedruthRFC]

He's been advised to on several occasions

Who's responsible for ensuring that he follows medical advice? If this is public knowledge, surely his employers know that he's playing against medical advice and should be taking the decision out of his hands.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

He's been advised to on several occasions

The rugby authorities should take this out of a player's hands. If they meet X criteria then they are retired by World Rugby / local union. End of.

All kinds of other professions have fit and proper requirements to be able to practice. In rugby the fit would be literal.

Possibly a legal minefield at first, but no-one could argue with the principle.

Reading that each legal claim could be in excess of £1m.

And while this is all about the pro game let's not forget the amateurs.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Rugby players' claim for brain injury has 'less than 50/50' chance, say experts

The expected multimillion pound lawsuit from rugby players who have suffered permanent brain damage has less than a 50/50 chance of succeeding, two world-leading sports law experts have told the Guardian

www.theguardian.com

 

[Reiser99]

Rugby players' claim for brain injury has 'less than 50/50' chance, say experts

The expected multimillion pound lawsuit from rugby players who have suffered permanent brain damage has less than a 50/50 chance of succeeding, two world-leading sports law experts have told the Guardian

www.theguardian.com

Settlement makes sense. Going to be hard for the players to prove negligence, but rugby authorities get to avoid negative publicity.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Precedent in other sports suggests settlement too, right?

Seems like by far the most likely outcome.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Kearnan Myall: 'Being concussed is not the issue. It’s the repeated hits'

The recently retired lock wants the rugby authorities to realise what is leading to players suffering from early onset dementia

www.theguardian.com

 

[Which Tyler]

Leeds' Stevie Ward 'haunted' by future as concussion forces retirement at 27

The Leeds captain, Stevie Ward, has been forced to retire at the age of 27 due to concussions he suffered last year, said he will try ‘to shine a light on the darker side of the game’

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Woman who believes her son was killed by rugby

Woman who believes her son was killed by rugby

Suicide, says Val Vickerman, prompts a torrent of painful questions. “It brings out a lot of the whats and whys, the could’ves, the should’ves,” she says, and t

www.thetimes.co.uk

Interview with Dan Vickerman's mum in the Times today stating her belief he committed suicide due suffering from CTE.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Dr Ann McKee: Rugby is ready to explode. Children should not be playing it

Dr Ann McKee: Rugby is ready to explode. Children should not be playing it

Ann McKee is the foremost expert on sports-related brain injury in the world; she has studied the brains of more dead athletes than any other scientist workin

www.thetimes.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Concussion in sport: Saliva test is 94% accurate in rugby union trial

Using pitchside saliva tests to diagnose concussion is a step closer after a "game-changing" trial in rugby union.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Which Tyler]

Concussion in sport: Saliva test is 94% accurate in rugby union trial

Using pitchside saliva tests to diagnose concussion is a step closer after a "game-changing" trial in rugby union.

www.bbc.co.uk

First mentioned 4 years ago: https://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/george-norths-concussion.38580/#post-870862
Brilliant that it's such a high specificity; if it's equally sensitive; then that'll be a real game-changer for management; though DNA testing (and time to create the biomarkers) is unlikely to ever reach pitch-side.

I'll be very interested to see the actual research (As far as I can tell, it's not been published yet)

ETA: Found it; just not listed on Pubmed yet: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2021/02/09/bjsports-2020-103274

ETA: It's RNA testing, not DNA; which I think makes things comparatively easier / cheaper.
Gives good results in the post-game (undefined time post-injury event) and 36-48 hours post-game; so potentially (very) useful at the amateur level for collecting saliva before leaving the club.
Short-term (after more research and validation), I don't see this replacing current pitchside HIAs; or being particularly useful for elite sport. However, if this can be made validated with larger trial size, and get the costs down; then this will make a HUGE difference at amateur level.
Longer-term: It would be great if we can get some more accurate time-frames on sample collection, and even a pre-match base-line for each individual; combine that with much quicker sample testing, and it MIGHT get down to being useable pitch-side; as another part of the HIA

 

[Which Tyler]

The other thing we really need from this is information on the biomarkers returning to normal.
Clinically speaking, the really tough bit, and the bit that REALLY needs improving, is the return to play protocols.
We're using the best we've got; but it basically amounts to "try doing stuff, and if you shouldn't have, then we'll find out afterwards".
If these biomarkers returning to normal can be used to judge improvement instead; then that'd be brilliant.

 

[big ginger 8]

Eye-tracking technology will be trialled to help detect concussions in rugby https://the42.ie/5395835

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Kyran Bracken: ‘Head injury is the silent killer, players don’t know whether they have it’

The former England scrum-half tells Michael Aylwin about spearheading rugby’s brain injury campaign and his own struggles with anxiety and OCD

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Zac Easter: He left his brain behind to save others from his fate

Zac Easter killed himself at the age of 24, having suffered for years from a debilitating disease caused by the sport he loved.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Which Tyler]

Getting tough on concussion: how welfare-driven law change may improve player safety—a Rugby Union experience | British Journal of Sports Medicine

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Getting tough on concussion: how welfare-driven law change may improve player safety—a Rugby Union experience | British Journal of Sports Medicine

Hope Bundee's been studying this carefully and adjusts his tackle technique accordingly.