Annotated Bibliography

Grant Schulz

With all of the recent severe concussions that athletes are getting, why is the National Football League not taking impact and brain injury seriously enough.

1.

A History of Violence

Taibbi, Matt. "A History of Violence."Rolling Stone, 1119 (2010): 32.

The article discusses an increase which has been seen in concussions among football players in the National Football League. In the article the author offers his opinions on the increase, on a willingness to accept serious injuries which is seen among football fans and on changes which have been seen in the athletic ability of football players in the NFL.  This article will be of use to me to explore how serious injuries are dealt with and the changes that are currently being made to help improve player safety.

2.

Austin Collie Clears His Head

Layden, Tim. "Austin Collie Clears His Head." Sports Illustrated, 114.18 (2011): 56-59.

This article is about a current NFL player, Austin Collie, who suffered two concussions last season alone.  It goes over all of the rehab and tests he had to take to be able to play again.  It will be a very helpful article to me because it provides a players perspective and insight to the world of concussions.  One of the most controversial topics is how to tell when a player doesn’t have concussion symptoms and can resume playing.  It is so controversial because players can easily lie about their symptoms just to return back to the game without considering the long term affects.

3.

Does Football Have a Future?

McGrath, Ben. "Does Football Have a Future?." New Yorker, 86.46 (2011): 41-51.

The article discusses head injuries and concussions among football players in the U.S. National Football League and rising public awareness of the dangers associated with the violence of the sport. Emphasis is given to the efforts of journalist Alan Schwarz in bringing media and public attention to football-related injuries such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Other topics include reforms to the game, helmet technology, and the future of the NFL.  This article will be most valuable to me for its new ideas on equipment technology and ways they are improving gear the players wear.

4.

Heads Up!

"HEADS UP!." State Legislatures, 37.2 (2011): 21.

An interview with Roger Goodell, eighth chief executive in the National Football League, is presented. When asked why the NFL is working with congress on a law dealing with youth sports concussions, he answers that concussions are an important public health concern and they can work together to make sports safer. He mentions three core principles in the law, including educating athletes and parents about concussions, removal from play of an athlete who may have a concussion and allowing him to return only after clearance from a doctor.  This document will be of value to me to see what the commissioner of the National Football League is doing to confront the ever so serious issues of concussions.

5.

The King-Devick Test and Sports-related Concussion: Study of a Rapid Visual Screening Tool in a Collegiate Cohort

Galetta, Kristin, Lauren Brandes, Karl Maki, Mark Dziemianowicz, Eric Laudano, Megan Allen, Kathy Lawler, Brian Sennett, Douglas Wiebe, Steve Devick, Leonard Messner, Steven Galetta, and Laura Balcer. "The King-Devick Test and Sports-related Concussion: Study of a Rapid Visual Screening Tool in a Collegiate Cohort." Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 309.1/2 (2011): 34-39.

This scholarly article starts off defining a concussion.  Which is defined as an impulse blow to the head or body resulting in transient neurologic signs and symptoms.  This specific article focuses on the King-Devick (K-D) test.  Its based on the time to perform rapid number naming and captures eye movements and correlates of suboptimal brain function.  This gives me more of the medical information on the brain, and how it is affected by blows to the head.  It also provides me with the tests that the athletes must pass to become medically cleared to play again.

6.

The NFL’s Concussion Culture

Jackson, Nate. "The NFL's Concussion Culture." Nation, 293.7/8 (2011): 22-23.

The article presents discussion regarding the dangers of concussions and mental-physical health problems of National Football League players. Details are given describing the emerging publicity of concussion wounds being sustained by professional players in the 2000s, and the physical consequences of the injuries on the players. Comments are provided noting how the NFL has responded to player health concerns. Criticism is raised against the NFL for not taking the dangers of impact injuries, particularly brain injury, seriously enough.  This article also discusses recent deaths of players who played in the 80s and 90s when concussions weren’t thought to be a serious injury. 

7.

Injury, Pain, and Prescription Opioid Use Among Former NFL Players

Cottler, Linda, Arbi Ben Abdallah, Simone Cummings, John Barr, Rayna Banks, and Ronnie Forchheimer. "Injury, Pain, and Prescription Opioid Use Among Former National Football League (NFL) Players." Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 116.1-3 (2011): 188-194.

This talks about former NFL players with injury related pain and the increased risk for opioid use and misuse, which may result in medical, psychiatric and social problems.  This is the first study to evaluate the intersection of sporst pain and opioid use.  They did a survey of 644 retired players and over half admitted to using opioids during their career, 71% reporting misuse.  Current misuse was associated with more NFL pain, undiagnosed concussions and heavy drinking.  This article is helpful to me because it talks about drug use and side affects directly because of players being injured and not properly treated.

8.

Sensitivity and Specificity of Subactue Computerized Neurocognitive Testing and Symptom Evaluation in Predicting Outcomes After Sports-Related Concussion

Lau, Brian, Michael Collins, and Mark Lovell. "Sensitivity and Specificity of Subacute Computerized Neurocognitive Testing and Symptom Evaluation in Predicting Outcomes After Sports-Related Concussion." American Journal of Sports Medicine, 39.6 (2011): 1209-1216.

Concussions affect an estimated 136 000 high school athletes yearly. Computerized neurocognitive testing has been shown to be appropriately sensitive and specific in diagnosing concussions, but no studies have assessed its utility to predict length of recovery. Determining prognosis during subacute recovery after sports concussion will help clinicians more confidently address return-to-play and academic decisions.  This medical journal gives me specific test results of players recovering from concussions, how fast they do it, and how fast they can return to playing again.