The more and more we learn about concussions the scarier they become and unfortunately they are becoming more and more prevalent in the NHL nowadays. A laundry list of players have missed time this season because of concussions or concussion like symptoms.
The poster boy for this growing problem is Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby, who sat out eleven months after suffering a concussion last season. Crosby, then made a brief comeback in late November before being sidelined once again after experiencing concussion like symptoms, following a game against Boston.
This is becoming an ever more pressing issue for the league, the teams, and the players themselves.
The NHL has instituted guidelines that teams must follow if they believe a player has sustained a head injury during game action. While the actions taken by the league may have some deterrent effect in preventing further injury, it is well documented that the signs of a concussion may not appear until days after the initial injury. There is no way to permanently eliminate concussions from the game, but the NHL is doing its best to help eliminate potential life threatening consequences down the line.
Concussions have always been a part of hockey due to the aggressive and physical style of the game itself. Due to the advancement of technology and research in the medical field on concussion, they are becoming easier to diagnose and treat before the condition becomes reoccurring or life threatening.
Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was the face of concussions in the NHL before it became a major problem. Bergeron missed significant time and battled several different concussions during the early parts of his career before finally returning to full health and is now one of the most efficient face-off men in the league. Bergeron, was sidelined for a few games during the Bruins playoff run last year after suffering a hit to the head. He returned and scored the game winning goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Vancouver.
This season has felt like a never-ending cycle of players missing time because of concussions. The list of players includes Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Claude Giroux, Jeff Skinner, and Shea Weber just to name a few. It has become rare that we go one day without hearing about a player who is dealing with a concussion or “concussinon-like† symptoms.
No matter whom it is you cannot help but feel bad for them because as a fan of almost any team in the NHL, you have been through it with one of your favorite players.
While it would be impossible to eliminate concussions, I believe that the NHL is taking great strides in helping prevent any further damage to the brain by implementing guidelines for teams to follow, in the case of a player suffering a head injury. The advancement of research on concussions is also doing a tremendous job in diagnosing and treating concussions and ensuring a player’s health in the future. And giving them their greatest chance to be effective in the game for as long as the rest of their body will allow.
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Robbie | PSD Blogger
(photo by Getty Images)
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