A recent study conducted by researchers at Dalhousie University uncovered a connection between repetitive head injuries in football and damage to the brain’s small blood vessels.
“We suspect that it persists over a while, which can foster that inflammation effect and changes to the way the brain works,” said Dr. Lyna Kaminsky, post-doctoral fellow at the university and one of the researchers.
Dr. Kaminsky has worked on this research along with professor Alon Friedman, who led the project, Dr. David Clarke, and Dr. Casey Jones.
The university introduced new high-tech helmets five years ago. The helmets are equipped with sensors to measure injuries, which after additional scans, can detect concussions on the school’s team. Players with injuries underwent MRI scans.
The research suggests that it is not just one hard hit to the head that poses a risk; rather smaller hits can also lead to severe damage.
“Years, sometimes even decades after playing, this can include difficulties with memory, with thinking clearly and emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse,” said Dr. Kaminsky.
Dr. Casey Jones is a former football player at Dalhousie University and a former coach, which is what inspired him to research this topic.
“I sustained one concussion over my career, hip surgery, a lot of bumps and bruises along the way,” he said. “I was just starting medical school at Dalhousie that year and turned this into my research project as a medical student.”
Gavin Lake, defense coordinator of Saint Mary’s University’s football team, says he believes a lot has changed over the years with football in Canada.
“There’s a strength and conditioning program so we want to make sure the players are healthy and strong to the best of their abilities before they even get suited up to play the games,” he said.
The study shows it is not just football; athletes in contact sports are at risk, and researchers suspect hockey is one of them. They believe this may change the recovery period for athletes following an injury.
“It allows us to think a bit differently about return to play, but how we think of what we should check before an athlete is clear to return to play,” said Dr. Kaminsky.
According to Dr. Jones, many high schools and professional football teams in the United States have the concussion-detecting helmets, but it is not a mandate. It also is not a league mandate in Canada.
