Concussion Treatment in the MLS is Helping to Raise the Standard for All Sports
The MLS instituted a strict policy regarding concussions and the way they are handled in 2011, and as the first season under the new protocols wrap up, the standards set by Major League Soccer are among the best in professional sports and have contributed to the safety and health of players.
That result of a good concussion policy in the MLS is the result of many factors. Recurring injuries around the sporting world highlighted the danger inherent in improperly handling concussions. What was dismissed in the past as a knock on the head that players could just shake off is now seen as a complicated scenario that might require ongoing treatment.
Standards getting better in all professional sports
The MLS joins Major League Baseball, the NFL, and the National Hockey League as having strong concussion protocols. There is no standard for the NBA, although they are reportedly developing one. College football and the NCAA could do much better with their policy that gives to much leeway to individual programs.
Sports from skiing and snowboarding to cycling are looking for ways to better handle concussions. The NFL went a step further November 2, issuing a directive to officials to look for concussion symptoms. That’s an idea that should be expanded upon around the other sports.
Two concussion injuries sustained in the MLS this season provide a sample of how the protocols have helped detect other issues and protect players. Eddie Johnson of the Portland Timbers and Calen Carr with the Houston Dynamo both suffered concussions during the season that might have been dismissed in earlier seasons, with potentially disastrous results.
A common factor in their injuries is that they occurred pregame, as a result of hard-kicked ball hitting them in the head. Both players’ concussions lead to extensive time away from the game for long recoveries.
Dangerous to return too soon
Johnson was hurt before the Timbers played the Los Angeles Galaxy August 3 in Portland. He was ruled out of the game just before kickoff, and did not return to the pitch in a game setting until the Timbers took on the Dynamo in Houston August 14. As it turned out, that might have been too soon.
Johnson was cleared numerous times before taking to the pitch, but he still suffered a recurrence when he was hit in the head on a couple of hard tackles. He missed the rest of the season, and finished the year still on the injury report. The team has not released any details beyond him being listed as out for a concussion. Hopefully the issues can be resolved and he doesn’t suffer concussion syndrome over the long term.
Carr’s concussion also impacted his inner ear, crucial to balance, sensory perception, and sensitivity. He struggled for months to come back before finally making it back onto the pitch. Of the 22 symptoms that are tracked in relation to concussions, Carr was only exhibiting six or seven. In days gone by, that might have been enough to encourage him to try to play and the coaching staff to let him. Using the new protocols, doctors were able to determine his inner ear had been impacted.
His recovery took months, but he is back to 100 percent and able to help his team in the playoffs. If he would have returned too soon, a follow-up injury could have been devastating to his career and health.
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