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Brain Injury Conference
Posted at: 06/07/2012 5:57 PM
| Updated at: 06/07/2012 6:13 PM
By: Benita Zahn
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IN YOUR HEALTH: improve education and awareness to better protect the brains of young athletes.
That's at the heart of the message from former professional wrestler and college football player Chris Nowinski.
He was the keynote speaker at the brain injury association conference, today.
Nowinski's career ended after a concussion. He says he still suffers the effects of post concussion syndrome.
Citing the staggering number of 'hits to the head' young athletes take and 'the force' of those hits, he says it's imperative more is done to 'prevent' 'young and still developing' brains, from injury.
He's co-founder of the Sports Legacy institute and IS co-director of the center for the study of traumatic encephalopathy at Boston university school of medicine.
On July first New York State law changes - mandating coaches be educated about concussions and student athletes, who suffer a concussion, be cleared by a doctor before returning to the playing field.
Nowinski reminds teachers; young brains also need to recover cognitively after a concussion and may need a break from 'school work' or extra help.
