Kansas City Doctor Working with Younger Athletes to Prevent Fatal Traumatic Brain Injury
Football players know there is a risk of injury when they step on the field. But how many of them know the real dangers they face when they strap on that helmet? Of course the common mindset is that players wear a helmet to protect their head from injuries. Right. Helmets do protect to a certain degree but injuries, including football related traumatic brain injuries continue to happen at an alarming rate. To make matters worse, most players don’t take nearly enough time off after the initial injury to properly and fully recover.
One of the deadliest threats to football players is something known as “second impact syndrome”. This can happen when a player suffers a second head injury before the symptoms and side affects of a previous injury have gone away. Teenagers are most vulnerable to these secondary injuries because their brains are not fully developed. One man who is working to help young athletes through these injuries is Joseph Waeckerle, an expert in sports related concussions, who spent twenty years as a team doctor with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Dr. Joseph Waeckerle photo by Sabrina Staires
Dr. Waeckerle now works the sidelines for the Rockhurst High School football team. He was with the Chiefs a few years back when quarterback Trent Green suffered a season ending head injury and tries to use what he learned from his days in the NFL to help the younger kids now. He knows full well how important it is to build a strong relationship with the players and establish a trust. It may be the only way to get players to be honest about the the severity of their injury.
“It may happen at Rockhurst no matter what I do,” he says. “That’s just a fact of life. But I tell you what, we’re going to bust our tail — and we have busted our tail — to make sure we can do everything we can do to prevent any bad outcomes. But there are always going to be bad outcomes because we’re all human beings. We just want to minimize them.”
Most players won’t be upfront about dizziness or headaches if they know there is a possibility they could lose playing time or be forced to quit the game altogether. After years in the NFL, helping professional athletes and now a volunteer for the Rockhurst football team, Dr. Waeckerle just wants to share his knowledge. In fact, Waeckerley and a prominent local neurosurgeon are in the early states of opening a regional concussion center right here in Kansas City. It would be similar to facilities at the University of Washington and the University of Pittsburgh where patients have access to professionals in the fields of neuroradiology, neuropsychology, ophthalmology, etc.
As Kansas City Brain Injury Lawyers, we encourage parents of student athletes in Kansas and Missouri to pay close attention to their child’s behavior after their games. Even the slightest bumps and knocks can cause even minor brain shifts that can lead to permanent brain damage even fatal brain illnesses and disease that won’t be detectable right away, more likely not for months even years down the road. We’d like to thank Dr. Waeckerle for his contribution to protecting the young athletes in Kansas City and hope his dedication inspires future generations to do what is right when faced with head injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious or traumatic brain injury as the direct result of an accident that happened in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. If this sounds familiar, you need someone in your corner you can trust. Don’t delay, call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorney James Roswold. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Injuries and Child Injury cases, we may be able to assist you and your family through this difficult and often stressful time.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys today to set up a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim.
Studies Show Football Players May Be Prone to Brain Damage Even Without Suffering a Concussion
Football can be a dangerous sport as any high contact sport can be. On any given play, a player can blow a knee or break a bone or dislocate a shoulder. Head injuries remain the most dangerous injuries however and new studies are showing that players may be able to sustain long term brain damage even if they have never suffered a severe head injury or concussion.
What is known about the causes of brain damage in relation to head trauma in a contact sport like football is relatively new and seems to be changing every day. A lot of this research is being done at Boston University, the University of North Carolina, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Florida. At USF this fall, there was a interactive study conducted with seven local high school football players, which used special sensors within the player’s helmets to determine the severity of hits to the player’s head and the effects they are having on the brain.
Blows to the Head May Contribute to ALS and Other Brain Disease
It’s not just the big hits that are being studied, but the small sub-concussive hits as well. Research is beginning to reveal that the brain may be affected negatively on every single little hit that is sustained.
While there is obviously a major concern on how these hits are affecting younger players because the brain is still in development, the fear is that the true damage may not even be able to be detectable for years down the road. Former NFL Hall of Famer Mike Webster, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers before finishing his career right here in Kansas City with the Chiefs, died ten years ago from a heart attack. His autopsy showed early onset of dementia in his brain, something that is becoming increasing common among football players after years of taking blow after blow to the head.
For years the prevailing thought was that the human head was able to withstand so many hits before there became a fear of damage to the brain, but more and more it seems that every little hit, even small ones are leading to long lasting and permanent brain damage. For more information on the subject, check out our informative library article, “Tips for Kansas City Parents: Diagnosing Early Warning Signs of Concussion in Your Child“.
The real problem may be the game of football itself and its place in society. Football has always been popular and one of the reasons is the violence. The NFL sells DVDs of the biggest bone crushing hits. Players often refer to themselves as Gladiators. Players say they get into the game knowing the damage that can come from it, but are they really thinking about the long term brain damage, dementia and possible brain diseases that often come with participation? Can anything be done about it?
Our experienced Kansas and Missouri Brain Injury Lawyers know full well the dangers that a contact sport like football represents. If you have a child who has suffered a head injury, please, have it checked out by a doctor or neurologist. Even the slightest head injury can lead to long term brain damage. We encourage you to take every head injury very seriously. There’s no such thing as a typical head injury. Every brain reacts differently to the slightest bumps and dings.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious head injury or TBI in an accident in Kansas or Missouri, you may be able to compensation for your losses. Call experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys James Roswold and Heather Lottman. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Injury including Traumatic Brain Injury and sports related injuries, we may be able to help you and your family through this difficult and stressful time.
Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to set up your free consultation to discuss your case.
Brain Injury Conference in St. Charles, MO. a Way to Gather Knowledge on Latest TBI Treatments
The Brain Injury of Missouri Annual Statewide Conference is taking place this week in St. Charles, Missouri. The sixth annual event is dedicated to bringing together the top professionals in the field of neuroscience in order to share information on the newest technologies and latest treatment plans. This year’s conference, “Brain Injury: Fact, Fallacies and New Frontiers” is focusing on treatment for severe head and brain injuries, especially concussions.
The conference began on October 20th and will be going on through the 23rd. The four day event will be filled with national and local guest speakers, including many from the University of Missouri. Anyone involved in a field dealing with traumatic brain injury are encouraged to attend.
Friday’s panels include Sports Concussions, Integrating Soldiers into the Community following Brain Injury and Concussion Assessment and Management. For more information, check out the website for the Brain Injury Association of Missouri.
As a special treat, on Saturday October 23, there will be a special art show, displaying artwork done by brain injury victims. The show is free of charge.
The Kansas City Brain Injury Lawyers of Roswold Law Group are encouraged to know that this conference and many like it go on so often, not only in Kansas and Missouri, but the rest of the country as well. It’s so very important for the best and brightest in this important field of medicine to get together and share ideas like this. The world of brain injury diagnosis and treatments is constantly changing and we’re glad there are conferences like this that allow doctors and health care workers to get together and pick each other’s brains.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury or traumatic brain injury in an accident in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including but not limited to lost wages from work, medical and doctor bills, not to mention legal fees. Don’t try and take on the insurance company alone, you need someone in your corner you can trust. Contact the experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys of Roswold Law Group. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Injury Accidents and Traumatic Brain Injury cases, we may be able to assist you and your family through this difficult time. Call our office today to set up your free consultation.
Tips for Determining if Your Kansas City Child is Suffering From a Concussion
Kids are going to get hurt and most of the time, they’re going to get right back up and play even harder just to make up for lost time. Bumps, bruises, scrapes; they’re all part of growing up. But what if your child is the victim of a head injury? You don’t have to be a doctor to be able to detect the early warning signs of a concussion or Traumatic Brain Injury in a child.
Knowing what to look for in a concussion could mean the difference in a full recovery and long term brain damage and even death. The symptoms come a few categories ranging from cognitive to physical. For a more information on the symptoms of a child concussion, read “What are the Warning Signs of Concussions in Children?”.
We’ve listed a few of the most common symptoms below:
- severe headaches
- dizziness
- confusion, problems with routine tasks
- mood swings; irritability
As Kansas City Brain and Spinal Cord Lawyers at Roswold Law Group, we hope you take all head injuries very serious. Side affects of head trauma don’t always present themselves right away. It’s not uncommon for the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury to be detected until there is already irreversible damage to the brain.
If you have a child who has received a serious head injury in Kansas or Missouri and is suffering from a concussion or TBI as a result, contact the experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys of Roswold Law Group. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries, including Traumaic Brain Injuries as well as Child Injury Accident cases, let us help you determine the best way to proceed with your personal injury claim. Call our office today to set up your free consultation.
If You Have Suffered a TBI in Kansas City, You May Be at Risk of Lou Gehrig’s Disease
There is a lot of information available today about the long term affects of head injuries and how they relate to the development of serious brain illnesses such as ALS, now also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig, one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the game, passed away at the age of 36 because of the rapid deterioration of his brain caused by ALS. At the time there was not much to suggest his illness was in anyway linked to heard injuries.
Have You Suffered a Head Injury as a Kansas City Athlete? Wii Fit May Help in Your Recovery
Gehrig, known as the Iron Horse because he played day in and day out, suffered at least six known concussions during his playing career and this was a time of the game when players did not wear protective batting helmets. Gehrig who at one time held the record for consecutive games played, never had the proper rest and recovery that he need to sufficiently recover from his head injury and it is believed that his development of ALS is the fatal result.
Sixty years later, a lot has changed and that has to do with the determination of neurologist who have worked hard to discover the cause of these tragic brain diseases. One of them is Dr. Ann McKee, a neurology professor at the Boston University, who has been conducting research in an attempt to connect head trauma and traumatic brain injury to serious brain illnesses such as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Our Kansas and Missouri Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers, we know that no head injury should be ignored, no matter how slight the injury may appear to be at first. We hope that all Kansas City athletes use this discovery as the final excuse to wear proper head protection when playing sports such as football and baseball.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious Traumatic Brain Injury as the result of an accident in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation. Don’t delay, contact the experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys of Roswold Law Group. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries including TBI, we can help. Call our office today for a free consultation.
New Australian Brain Treatment May Benefit American Soldiers Suffering From Brain Injury
Soldiers all over the world are returning home from the war in the Middle East and having a hard time coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A recent study performed in Australia is showing that the effects of PTSD may be more severe for soldiers who also have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Many of these soldiers, including our military men and women right here in Kansas City, are turning to substance abuse as a way to deal with their pain.
The same study in Australia has now produced a treatment plan, called COPE, that treats the TBI and PTSD as a disease in accordance with the substance abuse problem and now the same treatment plan is being used on American soldiers. COPE, which began as a focus study on civilians suffered PTSD in their lives. The treatment has led to a significant reduction in the patients anger, guilt and substance abuse.
Doctors Considering New Treatment Plans May Benefit Kansas City TBI
As Kansas City Brain and Spinal Injury Lawyers, we know that no head injury, not matter how minor, should be ignored. Even the slightest bump to the head can cause long term damage that can go undetected unless you see a neurologist. Many of our heroes are returning home after fighting for our country not knowing where to turn and unfortunately, drugs and alcohol become the easiest way to cope with the serious injury and stress that comes home with them.
With the COPE treatment available to more and more Americans, we hope that you educate yourself on your options. At Roswold Law Group, we hold our American Heroes in high regard and want to do everything in our power to protect them and their families in the future so they may enjoy the freedoms they’ve helped to defend.
If you or someone you love is a victims of a traumatic brain injury received while serving in the military, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, loss of wages and legal fees. Don’t face the courts and insurance companies alone. You need someone in your corner you can trust. Contact the experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys of Roswold Law Group.
With over 15 years of experience in Traumatic Brain Injury related accidents, we can help you and your family determine the best way to proceed with your claim. Call us today and set up a free consultation. You will be glad you did.
Are You Suffering From a Serious Brain Injury in Kansas City? Research Suggests Wii Beneficial For Brain Injury Recovery
Kansas State University researchers have found that Nintendo’s Wii Fit helped improve balance for a soldier with a traumatic brain injury(TBI).
Some symptoms of TBI include:
Measurements of balance were taken in the beginning of the experiment. The study had five training sessions, 30 minutes each, playing different Wii games, which showed improvements of the soldier’s balance.
The soldier also reported liking the rehab process, Stating ”it was interactive and showed his progress through the training”.
Hildebrand Says: ”Wii has been out for a few years and has been used in settings like hospitals, nursing homes and clinics for all types of rehab, but there’s not a lot of published research that shows that it’s effective. Hes goes on to say”The Wii is different from other virtual reality technologies used in rehabilitations. Its advantages include that it’s cheaper, easily accessible and easy to use. Possible follow-up research includes the effects of Wii on rehabilitation for other conditions, including injuries like ankle sprains and knee injuries”.
The three leading causes of TBI are: The head being struck with force; the head striking an object; and/or thebrain undergoing movement within the skull yet without visual trauma to the exterior of the head.
TBI’s are an ongoing problem with soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Blasts are the leading cause of TBI with soldiers, which often go unnoticed. 20 % of active duty soldiers suffer a TBI.
The Kansas City Brain Injury Attorneys at Roswold Law Group hope to see more improvements in the Brain Injury research field. Brain Injury is the leading cause of death adn disability in the US, including the Kansas City area.
If you or someone you love have suffered a serious injury to your brain or spinal cord in an accident in Kansas or Missouri, contact the experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys of Roswold Law Group. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Injury cases, we can help you with your claim.
Prismatic Eye Glasses Reduce Symptoms Of Traumatic Brain Injury
Recent studies by four Michigan physicians suggest prismatic eyeglasses reduce Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and anxiety. The prisms correct visual image misalignment which causes vision to be doubled, called heterophoria,which causes the muscles of the eyes to become strained and overworked, which has been linked headaches, dizziness, anxiety and pain in the neck.
The study involved 43 patients all of which suffered a TBI and had been diagnosed with vertical heterophia and have had the symptoms for more than 3 years. Treatment with the glasses seemed to be very effective in reducing the symptoms of both Traumatic Brain Injury and vertical heterophia. Headache symptoms were reduced by 79 percent.
For victims of TBI, symptoms such as headaches and dizziness can be just the beginning. The longer you go without seeking medical treatment for a head injury, the worse the damage can be to the brain. If you have received a head injury in an accident, seek medical attention. Even the slightest bumps to the head can cause damage. The brain is a precious muscle. Take care of yourself.
Attorney James Roswold of Roswold Law Group knows how devestating a traumatic brain injury can be and hopes to see more improvements in Traumatic Brain Injury. If you or a loved one suffer from a TBI contact the experienced Kansas City personal injury attorneys of the Roswold Law Group that specialize in accidents related to serious brain injury today for a free consultation.