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Check your head | page 1, 2, 3
"The real-life effects are a reduction in mental efficiency -- being unable to get as much mental work done per day as before. Getting tired more easily, being unable to concentrate for as long a period of time, making more mistakes," says Bleiberg. "You almost always can still do what you used to be able do, but the quality is not quite as good." As it stands, far too little data exists for the NCAA to establish any specific guidelines on disqualification due to multiple concussions -- although each year, a few players do get disqualified for this reason. Soon, Collins' study may have the data to make these decisions more common. At the very least, a concussion issues a wake-up call to many college athletes. "Right after it happened, I was a little scared. I didn't know what was going on. My mind wasn't working right and I didn't know what the feelings were I was having and why I couldn't think straight. Everything was so cloudy," says the Utah lineman. The research has motivated several other college football teams to participate in the study. Both Collins and Bleiberg are working on easy-to-use computerized models of their test batteries that would allow psychologists to take baseline readings of thousands of athletes. Bleiberg even plans to distribute his test as freeware on the Internet so people can take it at home. The players who stand to gain the most are the ones at the smaller Division II and III schools -- here trainers are likely to have less training in checking for concussions. Already the study has made a difference at the four participating schools. After taking the test, for example, the Utah lineman was held out for an additional two days. And at Michigan State, the study helped trainers get a better idea of when a player should return to the field. "The study has helped us. Before, you went by the symptoms: headache, nausea, dizziness -- but they can go away. They said they felt fine and we would let them go back," says Michigan State trainer Sally Nogle. "Now we have a more sensitive test to check how they are functioning. There have been cases where we test them where we think, 'Hey this is not normal yet.' Hopefully it prevented the long-term problems." And with studies like this, players might gain a better understanding of what hit them. "I don't know how many athletes I have worked with that have said, 'Doc, what's in the future. Am I going to have problems down the road? How many concussions are too many?' We don't have the information to provide to these athletes," says Collins. "That's really the impetus of the study." Still, given the very slight risk of death and relatively low grade of concussion after-effects, it's likely that many players would keep playing after multiple concussions -- even with this new information. "I love the game of football. I don't think I would give it up even if I did have another concussion," says the Utah lineman. "But I would try not to get hit in the head so much."
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