I wondered why I hadn't see Brian Roberts play much lately. Googled around a bit and came across this article. He's had a concussion since September 2010. From bopping himself on the head with his bat. He was frustrated at striking out, and was wearing a batting helmet. He'd done it before, many times. Observers did not think it was a particularly violent hit. But he gave himself a concussion, and it's pretty much kept him from playing since.
It's fascinating, the stuff they're finding out about concussions. Roberts was apparently inherently vulnerable to concussion. Those who get carsick and those who suffer migraines are especially prone to concussions, and Roberts has suffered from motion sickness all his life. (So have I. Note to self: do not apply a baseball bat to noggin, helmet or no.)
Another tidbit from the article: NFL players actually get concussions at a much lower rate than you'd expect, given the abuse they take. One theory to explain this: people who are not unusually immune to concussions are weeded out long before they reach the pros.
The NFL has a huge mess on its hands now, accused of hiding the concussion problem, among other things. They're going to have to do something, or run the risk of ending up like boxing: considered a brutal, dangerous sport that parents don't want their children to play.
Labels: science of sports
