Page 95 - Spring2018

Tim's DVD Reviews

“Mr. Aluminum.” He explains that the indus- liability. In the short term, symptoms may not Concussions
try gets away with this because aluminum seem significant. In the long term, NFL players are
is rather subtle. It typically does not produce are nineteen times more likely to suffer symp-
dramatic and immediate effects except in vac- toms like Alzheimer's, dementia and suicide. The happening
cines. This video was probably produced before number of well-known players suffering these in children’s
he published his latest study results showing symptoms has grown quickly enough to swamp sports, and
that autistic brains contain significantly more any attempt by the League to deny the problem.
aluminum than non-autistic brains. I'm sure Dr. This isn't just happening in professional many players
Offit and other vaccine advocates will be quick sports. Nowinski notes that concussions are already have
to assure us that this is purely coincidence. It is happening in children's sports, and many play- a problem
no coincidence that my thumb is UP for another ers already have a problem before they even
video that raises concerns about vaccines that enter professional sports. It is not just men, before they
were only proven safe for a short period of time either. Female soccer and basketball players even enter
for two rabbits. are more likely than their male counterparts to professional
have a concussion. It would be very interest-
Head Games ing to hear a discussion on the possibility that sports.
Produced by Steve James and Bruce Sheridan concussions have become more common due to
malnutrition and other declining health factors,
It turns out that repeatedly banging your but that is not covered in the video.
head can have serious long-term effects. That's There are a range of possible solutions. Co-
not just an urban legend. So who would go median Stephen Colbert suggests you stop while
around banging their head all the time? The an- you still don't have to wear a diaper. The NFL
swer is football players, boxers, hockey players, has made some rule changes, which probably
soccer players and people like that. help but don't completely solve the problem. The
Former World Wrestling Entertainment game would have to be significantly changed
(WWE) wrestler Christopher Nowinski, Har- to eliminate all risk. Upgrades to helmets and
vard graduate, has made a career of studying padding are another option that might have
how often concussions happen in sports and some limited benefit. Outlawing football is not
what the long-term consequences are. Par- discussed in the video and is unlikely, given its
ticularly in football, the numbers paint a grim popularity. It is probably also not feasible if we
picture. While the percentage of players diag- are still pretending to be a free country. Many
nosed with a concussion may be down in the have chosen to play these full-contact sports
single digits, when you ask the right questions knowing the risk, and that is a matter of indi-
you find out that is just the tip of the iceberg. vidual choice—but it is important that everyone
Surveying football players about specific symp- makes a fully informed choice. This video gets
toms they have experienced, Nowinski found a thumbs UP for helping people do that.
that at least 50 percent have had a concussion.
Robert Cantu, MD and co-founder of Concus- JOURNAL AVAILABLE AS
sion Legacy Foundation, puts the number at 100 A DIGITAL TALKING BOOK FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
percent based on his experience and the nature Some of our journals have been converted into an audio format for
of the game. the visually impaired. Special software is required for this such as
As often happens, the story of concussions Dolphin Easy Reader. Go to the JOURNALS tab on our home page.
in the National Football League (NFL) was slow Audio format is available for Fall 2011 through Winter 2015. Please tell
to come out for the usual reasons—money and others! Many thanks to Amy Adams of ePubUSA.com for this service!

SPRING 2018 Wise Traditions 93