NFL Preseason: Wes Welker Suffers 10th Concussion Along with 61 Others

Wes Welker suffering his 3rd concussion in 10 months. Photo Credit: rumorsandrants.com

It’s the last week of meaningless games for NFL teams. The NFL preaseason is coming to an end with games that matter coming right around the corner.

For those of you that don’t know, the name of the game for the last preseason NFL game of the season is this:

Don’t get hurt!

Whether you’re a 5th string guy looking to just make the practice team, or you’re a key back up looking to get repetitions in, injuries in the NFL can be devastating for the career of an NFL hopeful.

So that brings me to a startling statistic about this NFL preseason. The Denver Broncos star receiver, Wes Welker took his 3rd concussion in 10 months last week.

Even more surprising was the fact that 61 players were diagnosed with concussion during the PRE season.

That is a startling statistic. The high number is probably due to how closely the NFL is monitoring it’s players for concussion, thanks to improved and increased testing by trainers and staff. None the less, I would never have thought that 61 players could take so many head injuries when the games don’t even matter yet.

If it’s happening in the NFL, it’s happening in your child’s school

The good thing about being in the NFL is that the players have access to some of the best training staff and tools available to take care of their players in the event of a concussion. The NFL is heavily invested in their ball players, and they want to make sure that they

A) Take concussed players out of the game to prevent lawsuits years down the line

B) Make sure their athletes have the highest quality care to improve the recovery of concussed athletes.

These luxuries aren’t afforded to the casual high school football program. However, they are exposed to the head impacts that their NFL counter parts are facing. Football is a violent game by nature.

The best, greatest, and most durable helmet in the world can’t stop the brain from shifting and moving in a way to cause damage to the central nervous system.

If you have a child playing football, or any contact sport, then get VERY familiar with the signs and symptoms of concussion:

• brief loss of consciousness after the injury
• memory problems
• confusion
• drowsiness or feeling sluggish
• dizziness
• double vision or blurred vision
• headache
• nausea or vomiting
• sensitivity to light or noise
• balance problems
• slowed reaction to stimuli

While your child may not show full blown symptoms of concussion, it’s important to see if there are subtle versions of the above signs. High school athletes have a sense of invincibility, and are not interested in showing weakness when their chance to be a star is at stake.

Remember that head injury and neck injury are closely linked, and that correcting one can improve the other. If you are concerned about any signs that a family member may be battling concussive symptoms, make sure to push them to get evaluated by a qualified professional.

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