The latest research offers some new information and hope for patients suffering from head injuries in Miami and other communities. Dr. Michael L. Lipton of the Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and his team of researchers have concluded that heading the ball repeatedly in soccer results in similar brain injuries and brain abnormalities as other accidents – such as car accidents in Miami and other communities – that lead of traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Lipton and his team studied 37 amateur soccer players and concluded that heading the ball repeatedly can cause degeneration of brain cells, much like other forms of trauma. The soccer players in the study consisted of 78% male players with a mean age of over 30 years old. The research subjects played soccer for an average of over 22 years and headed the ball between 32 and 5400 times.
Parents have already been warned by safety experts about the dangers of sports-related injuries to minors and children in Miami and other communities. Sports-related injuries among children include:
•Spinal cord injuries
•Head injuries
•Fractures
•Soft tissue injuries
Other injuries are common as well. Of course, adult athletes face some of the same injuries. However, research has shown that child athletes may be more at risk. Studies have shown that children are at a significant risk for re-injury if they are placed back in the game too soon. A child who sustains a sports-related head injury – from a pool accident in Miami, for example – may return to swimming or to other at-risk activities quickly. When children return to activities and sports too early, safety experts say, their risk for a secondary accident is much higher. In addition, children may be more vulnerable to some types of head injuries due to their age and smaller size. In some cases, these injuries may affect a child for life.
Dr. Lipton and his researchers have stated that more research needs to be done about sports and head injuries so that athletes and coaches can know when players need to be removed from the game in order to prevent injuries. In the meantime, many pediatricians admit that there are several things that parents can do to prevent serious childhood head injuries caused by sports:
•Make sure children are signed up for sports in supervised settings – ask plenty of questions about coaches and their training
•Insist that your child uses proper safety gear – including helmets, if the sport requires it – during each practice and game
•Get any possible head injuries checked out by a medical professional right away and do not permit the child to return to at-risk activities until a doctor gives the go-ahead
If your child has been injured anywhere in South Florida, contact the Flaxman Law Group to discuss your situation with a personal injury attorney. Your initial consultation is free and comes with no obligation. The Flaxman Law Group is a full-service law firm with multiple resources and legal professionals available for your case. Call the law firm today for additional details.