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“The vast majority of concussions, if treated properly, resolve in a couple of days to a week,� Mimran said. “In extreme cases, players can deal with the symptoms for the rest of their lives.� In addition to case reports from across the country, Mimran said, “I have a couple of players who stopped playing sports as a result of concussion. These players continue to deal with memory issues, headaches, the ability to concentrate.� While injuries can take place in any sport, football is the one that’s received the most attention, Mimran said. to say we’ve done a better job in coordinatBut players can take simple precautions to help minimize the ches and the trainers and parents to help the potential for injury. diagnosed more quickly, get treated and back “Avoiding spear tackling, launching and helmet-to-helmet conid. tact,� Mimran said. n locker rooms tell teens to report signs of “Spear tackling,� he explained, is exactly what it sounds like of the biggest concerns not only in football, — using the helmet as a spear to take down an opponent — and common, but in every sport. “launching� is leaving the ground for a tackle. awareness on TV and posts in the locker room “Those things are on the part of the player,� Mimran said. L exposure we’re seeing more kids reporting “Having someone on the sidelines who’s watching the athletes happens,� said Ronnie Mimran, a neurosur- on a play-by-play basis is important, and that’s not standard. The who’s also the neurosurgeon for the Oakland frustrating thing for me is that some teams can have eight to 10 otball season, it’s not uncommon for me to see coaches but claim they don’t have the budget to hire an athletic up to five a week.� trainer.� sees concussion injuries in virtually every It’s not just men and it’s not just high schoolers, either. s treated two water polo players, one who “Women’s sports are just as subject to violent hits that cause on a goalpost and another who caught a spike concussions. The prime examples in women’s sports are soccer, lacrosse, and I’ve had one woman rugby player,� Mimran said. e always been a part of sports, and at “You’re never too young or too old to have a concussion.� Mimran said, reporting has been The athletes most at risk are involved in a competition a twofold problem because, that many don’t even consider to be a sport. It’s usus and players not being ally played side by side with football: cheerleadhe signs of a concusCoaches and teams ing. has been taboo. “Based on some research over the last from peers not to 25 years, it’s competitive cheerleading that are much more ame and the termileads to severe injuries,� Bell said. “These erms of a warrior are fatal, disabling and serious injuries, conscientious about up, get back out not just sprains and strains. It’s really due injuries to young athletes. wimp,� Mimran to the fact that they do these stunts — it’s deal and I think not just dancing.� It’s a rare coach blems in treating Sports can also lead to spine injus we don’t know ries. that resists a thorough oblem.� “Thank God it’s fairly rare. This past evaluation of one of their can be caught in football season I only had three or four etween pressure to kids that came in for spine injuries, and injured players. yer safety. certainly serious ones are very, very rare,� rent conflict that can Mimran said. Dr. David Bell, meone’s mind,� Mimran With Little League season just about to begin sports medicine specialist here’s an injury to a star and after last year’s injury to a pitcher in Napa, e sent out of the game. “There’s baseball has been the focus of concern, too. ch.� Mike Ragan, a local Little League safety officer, said that e’s less of the warrior culture in play these days position is now required across the country, which is a sign that Little League is paying closer attention to injuries. working with a lot of different coaches, that the “It’s a pretty big deal in that each league has a safety director. are much more conscientious about injuries to That safety director sits on the board of every Little League. They’re said. “It’s a rare coach that resists a thorough required to do a safety plan each year. Safety, as with everything, I f their injured players. Most coaches trust the think safety is only as good as the focus that’s been put on it,� Ragan h professionals to thoroughly evaluate the ath- said. “There’s been a huge focus even at the district level.� ow when they’re ready to play.� He said local Little Leagues have been actively improving their ts injuries, concussions may get a lot of at- safety protocols for years. Ragan describes safety “as part of the tional Institute of Health (NIH) says that less Little League experience these days.� ar more common. These include sprains and “When we grew up, safety wasn’t really mentioned. I never d illnesses like dehydration, heat exhaustion heard of it as a kid,� he said. “But let’s face it — we’re all parents petitive motion injuries, and growth plate in- first and foremost and coaches second. We care about our kids, mage to the areas of developing tissues at the we care that they have enough fun. We may say, ‘Today, let’s rest n children and adolescents. your arm.’ Nowadays, in pitching, there are only so many throws ore bone and joint, musculoskeletal injuries your arm has. That wasn’t the case before.� Some of the bone and joint injuries are minor Under current guidelines, 8- to 16-year-olds can throw 50 ck to make sure we know what the injury is pitches a day, and 17- and 18-year-olds can throw 105 pitches a athlete gets better treatment,� Bell said. “They day, Ragan said. “If they throw a certain amount of pitches, they’re a body that is still growing. We want to try to required a certain amount of calendar days’ rest.� problems from injuries suffered while athletes Ragan stepped into the safety director position last year, promising to “take it up a notch.� with bones and joints, Mimran butts heads, I think what’s really fun about the role I have now is that the oncussions, which he said come in a range in kids can play down the road. We look after the kids first and foremost,� he said. N
g that’s changed in terms of youth sports over so, it’s awareness about the potential for young mselves. or example, there are now limits on the numher can make, depending on his age. tly is on the field, according to Dr. David Bell, eon and sports medicine specialist who prac-
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PUBLIC NOTICE Public Hearing on Final Project and Program Lists The Alameda County Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, May 26, 2011, from 12p.m.-12:30p.m. at 1333 Broadway, Suite 300, Oakland, CA 94612, on ďŹ nal projects and programs lists to be submitted to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in response to its Call for Projects issued in March 2011, as part of the development of the Regional Transportation Plan. For more information, contact Alameda CTC at (510) 208-7400, or www.alamedactc.org Pleasanton WeeklyĂŠUĂŠMay 13, 2011ĂŠU Page 13