COALITION FOR CONCUSSION-FREE SCHOOLS
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*PLEASE REMEMBER* 
​1) The VAST majority
of brain injuries
are UNRECOGNIZED.
​

2)
​ Subconcussive injuries
contribute to
neurodegeneration.


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​​IF DOUBT
WERE
THE THRESHOLD
FOR PULLING ATHLETES OUT,
​TACKLE FOOTBALL
WOULD NO LONGER
BE A PART
OF OUR
​PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


BREAKING: CTE Risk More Than Doubles after Just Three Years of Playing Football, says new study from VA-@BUMedicine-@ConcussionLF Brain Bank. https://t.co/rGdGZAK921

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) October 7, 2019

"Should I allow my child to play tackle football?" pic.twitter.com/ObFGWyAxBE

— Greg Ransom (@GregRansom) June 27, 2019
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EVIDENCE OF BRAIN INJURY IN CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS
WITHOUT DIAGNOSED CONCUSSION

There is no helmet proven to mitigate the damage caused by high school football.https://t.co/E1S9hxbDUW pic.twitter.com/WGFmebraz9

— Kent Johnson (@37919KJ) September 24, 2019

Cases of pathological confirmed cases of #CTE have been identified in 8 sports/entertainments -UFC, Boxing, Gridiron, Soccer, Rugby, Ice Hockey, Rodeo, and Pro Wrestling. More sports with more cases in more countries. #TBI

— NFLCSFacts (@NFLObjectors) July 14, 2019

New study of 4.1M ED visits for #TBI #concussion in minors finds football is by far the #1 cause from ages 10-19.

For those who've been misled - it's not riding your bike, it's not soccer, it's not basketball... but it's another reason why #FlagFootballu14 makes sense. pic.twitter.com/4MU5DJ6mKI

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) July 30, 2019

Anything’s possible I suppose.
Important to remember repeated head trauma has been linked to many life altering conditions in addition to CTE, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, stokes, etc.

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 21, 2019
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Schools Are
​Addicted to
Collision $ports

Breaking: Four U.S. surgeons general say dementia is our top public health crisis and link "teenager(s) playing rough contact sports" to dementia conversation. https://t.co/wBIq2JxkyA

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) October 16, 2019

"in response to the legal dynamics hindering profitability, casualty carriers are quickly drafting exclusions for a range of exposures ...

sexual misconduct, opioids, cannabis, traumatic brain injury & chronic traumatic encephalopathy, glyphosate ..." https://t.co/fgOZL4snMT

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) October 15, 2019

"Warning: Impact trauma is a cause of brain injury, brain damage, and, if repeated, traumatic encephalopathy. It can cause death, the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric diseases, and learning disabilities. Helmets do not prevent these risks."

— Stephen T Casper (@TheNeuroTimes) September 8, 2019

Clinically silent (subconcussive) head hits in US college football players are associated with the same MRI-assessed brain damage as concussion, according to a recent study @UofRFootball @NCAA https://t.co/gmsdnKhpMj

— JAMA (@JAMA_current) October 30, 2019

0.001% of children will make a paycheck playing the sport that they love

0.001%

With their developing brains being so fragile, it is in our best interest to minimize repetitive head trauma exposure in children

— Daniel Carcillo (@CarBombBoom13) September 14, 2019

"book argues that the continued aspiration & idolization of the NFL, & its lack of accountability for health concerns ... highlight the firm grasp of hegemonic masculinity ... further problematizing media’s glorification of the sport" https://t.co/GCvakATu6L

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) September 12, 2019

Scores of former college players, following in the footsteps of their NFL brethren, have started coming forward to say that they believe there is a direct link between their time on the gridiron and what ails them: headaches and CTE ..https://t.co/idq9tkllRJ via @nbcnews

— StopCTE.org (@StopCTE) September 17, 2019

"The United States is the only country in the world that has a significant portion of its elite athletic development in many sports grounded in the educational system." https://t.co/Yf7r0S8QfR

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) October 4, 2019

​​​Rugby & CTE

BREAKING: Big story related to concussion - brain disease known as CTE and related to repetitive head trauma found for the first time in two former @NRL players. @telegraph_sport https://t.co/8xEn2lWiGb

— David Riccio (@DaveRic1) June 27, 2019

Ewan MacKenna: 'Time for rugby to wake up and ask not if damage is being done, but how bad that damage will be'https://t.co/Oy018J7UDz pic.twitter.com/FvQlTG9srG

— Independent Sport (@IndoSport) February 15, 2019

“The confirmation has been described as a "wake-up call" to local sporting authorities.

The reports were conducted on two middle-aged professionals who played more than 150 top-grade rugby league games each throughout their careers.” Story by @app85 https://t.co/8ZNfMXkQtu

— Dr Kathleen Bachynski (@bachyns) June 27, 2019

"World Rugby studies show that 50% of all injuries and 76% of all concussions occur in the tackle".

Yet the NFL and USA Football have turned to Rugby Tackling instructors to make American Football " Safer than Ever". https://t.co/VMtLZDm64L

— Kent Johnson (@37919KJ) June 26, 2019

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AN ARRAY OF CONSEQUENCES

The LARB Ball NFL Roundtable - Los Angeles Review of Books https://t.co/lLIcVYFQnM pic.twitter.com/8MjBlSoctv

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) October 16, 2018

​​​HOW WE JUSTIFY THE RISKS
Dr Kathleen Bachynski
"The problem is that multiple hits
can interrupt ​the brain’s repair processes.
Over time, the brain’s 'clean-up crew'
may not be able to keep pace
with the recurring hits inherent to any sport
that involves ​constant collisions,
such as boxing, ​tackle football,
or professional ice hockey."

​

Headgear, helmets AND mouth guards have NO documented evidence for preventing sports- concussion https://t.co/qoYjmebJq2 https://t.co/PKk3bfNiCz

— Jason Avedesian, M.S. (@JasonAvedesian) May 17, 2019

NEW STUDY: Collision and combat sports like football, boxing, and hockey raise the risk for a variety of a variety of neurodegenerative conditions-- not just CTE.
Risk rises with years of exposure to head impact. https://t.co/ffDR7WDreY

— Kent Johnson (@37919KJ) July 25, 2018
​​HEALTH IS A SOCIAL PROBLEM

We will not resolve the problems of TBI and collision sports by better technology.

HEALTH IS A SOCIAL PROBLEM, NOT A TECHNICAL ONE. https://t.co/NeVoVaGXVk

— Daniel Goldberg (@prof_goldberg) May 16, 2019

The problem with padding and helmets is, while it seems logical, it doesn't provide intracranial stabilization #UMconcussion pic.twitter.com/jgiohUWoBb

— P. F. Anderson (@pfanderson) May 31, 2019

Breaking: Harvard study finds former NFL players are 3x more likely to die from degenerative brain diseases than MLB players. 1st death study to control for "healthy worker effect." https://t.co/iz6zggbiSX via @statnews

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) May 24, 2019

Troubling news out of a Stanford-led longitudinal study of college football player brains. The hippocampus, which plays an important role in memory, was not only smaller in FB players vs. controls at baseline, it was even smaller at the 5-year follow up. https://t.co/d4TUIeLf9n

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) May 23, 2019

Medical science has proven beyond a doubt that it is prudent to reduce head impacts across the lifespan.
Reason says that one of the best ways to do this is to pull your kiddies out of brain-bashing sports.

— Kent Johnson (@37919KJ) February 20, 2019

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​​​Hello, OSHA?

Yeah, 10% is the absolute bare minimum, 20% is the minimum for the extraordinary level of selection bias of 461 times more likely. But even if those with CTE were 118 times more likely to donate their brains (also quite high), the prevalence would be closer to 1 in 2. Very scary.

— Dr Kathleen Bachynski (@bachyns) November 28, 2018

"The Supreme Court instructed OSHA in 1980 that occupational disease risks above one chance per thousand must be worthy of regulation, and Congress has instructed the EPA in various laws to regulate cancer and other risks exceeding one chance per million." https://t.co/1SAimCXZfL

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) October 20, 2018
​​“We present a quantitative risk assessment
​showing the risk of CTE…
would permit OSHA ​to intervene.…"

Finkel & Bieniek

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Washington Post
Editorial Board

9/8/18
“Parents and schools 
are right to reassess 
the wisdom
of tackle football 
​
for children
whose young brains 
are still developing.”

​
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​
​The Full Argument
 (2018) 

Randall Curren & J.C. Blokhuis


​​
​"US public schools'
sponsorship

of tackle football
is ethically indefensible
and inconsistent
with their
​educational aims.” 
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Cell study reveals how #headinjuries lead to serious #brain diseases @NatureComms https://t.co/GCzEOuei4V

— Medical Xpress (@medical_xpress) November 16, 2018
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​"This article suggests that there are
at least two forms of ADHD.
One that is an expression of a risk
inherited within families and the other
which develops after traumatic brain injury."

John Krystal, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.

Fewest football players in 20 years at the highest number of schools ever = elevated injury risk for thousands of boys on small-roster teams.

NFHS doesn't care. Their rules require no substitutes on the sideline at kickoff. https://t.co/k1kvD6rnqF

— Kent Johnson (@37919KJ) September 26, 2019

"For the first time, we document in college football players, that the frequencies and magnitudes of repeated subconcussive head impacts are associated with changes in plasma NFL levels." Some limitations: n=18, need studies in both sexes and other sports https://t.co/zqDhLAwXiL

— Dr Kathleen Bachynski (@bachyns) March 1, 2019
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​An Article for Students
 



Tolerable Risks?
​

Saltatory Conduction.gif
By Dr. Jana - http://docjana.com/saltatory-conduction/ ; https://www.patreon.com/posts/4374048, CC BY 4.0, Link


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The Cultural Consequences
“Through a project that began five years ago, researchers have screened 4,100 people
in jail, on probation or assigned to drug courts in Denver and five other counties
t
o find out how many have
traumatic brain injury
— an impairment that could
impact the likelihood
of their return to
​the criminal justice system
.
The results were stark:
54% had a history ​of serious brain injury,
​ compared with 8% of the general population."


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​False Equivalence
Sports Illustrated   8/23/18

“These three things--
a young athlete’s death, 
 ...rule changes 
designed to damage fewer brains, 
&... ignoring repeated abuse...
are not ​of equal importance. 
Not even close. 
This should go without saying, 
but you never know, so
I’m saying it ​just in case: 
They are connected. 
Each case is part​ of a football ecosystem 
in which the game itself is propped up 
as bigger ​and more important
than anything that stands in its way.”


I was going to post a quote or two that really struck me, but this isn't one of those articles that can be captured in a quote. Instead I ask you to actually read the whole article. A big ask is the twittervese, I know, but trust me this one is worth it. https://t.co/GDaJo43Vt0

— Christine Baugh, PhD (@christinebaugh) August 24, 2018

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​​​Largest Dataset Yet Confirms Increased Dementia Risk

New York Times  4/11/18
​Myelin 
“Imaging shows changes in the myelin content
 in the brain following mild traumatic brain injury. Myelin changes are apparent ​at the time of injury and 3 months afterward.” 
Chronic Differences
“Different diffusion tensor imaging methods have revealed changes in white matter orientation
​up to 6 months after concussion.” 

A clinician describes shear following head injury and says it basically confirms much earlier work by Cajal. "It is likely that axonal changes are the basic lesion in all head injury." (1967) pic.twitter.com/S9hvcHekPi

— Stephen T Casper (@TheNeuroTimes) June 29, 2019

Saltatory Conduction.gif
By Dr. Jana - http://docjana.com/saltatory-conduction/ ; https://www.patreon.com/posts/4374048, CC BY 4.0, Link

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The Damage:
Functional, Structural, &
Metabolic

medicalxpress.com  10/18/18

“Perhaps the concussion triggers
a cascade that increases
abnormal protein buildup
in the brain....

The concussion might cause
inflammation or vascular changes….

The injury could make
the brain more vulnerable overall,
what the researchers call
​a loss of brain reserve.”
The Fight
medicalxpress.com  4/11/18

“The brain continues to put up a fight
even as neurodegenerative diseases
damage certain areas and functions.
In fact, recent findings...
 suggest ​that one method the brain uses
​to counter these diseases
is the reassigning of tasks
to different regions….

Previous studies have shown that this
preservation tactic is used
​after brain damage,
such as traumatic brain injury or stroke,
but this is one of the first studies to demonstrate the phenomenon ​in a neurodegenerative disease.”
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​INDUSTRIAL DISEASE

New analysis of data from the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank shows former football players from 147 colleges have been diagnosed with #CTE.

26 schools have 3+ CTE cases. #UGA leads all schools with 9 cases.

More on college football #CTE cases:https://t.co/YlwO1TEOMv pic.twitter.com/wXB3Udxkth

— Concussion Legacy Foundation (@ConcussionLF) December 1, 2018

Out of the 110 brains with CTE, 95 had "severe" (stages III or IV) and 110 "mild" (stages I or II). So the study includes all four stages, but it is worth noting that the majority of the NFL brains in BU's sample had stage III or IV CTE. https://t.co/dwzFcN6WjZ pic.twitter.com/D8l6cZsiAQ

— Dr Kathleen Bachynski (@bachyns) November 29, 2018
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​"In my opinion,
a concussion is a permanent
​brain injury."

Dennis L. Molfese, Ph.D.
"One season
of football

in theory
could give
you

CTE."
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. 

"While much of the focus with brain injury research in football has been on the NFL, I would like to highlight how NCAA research into concussion is inherently flawed and why the NCAA fails to portray an accurate risk of brain damage" -Chris Borland https://t.co/NflMt9Sba9

— Dr Kathleen Bachynski (@bachyns) February 26, 2019

Concussions: Ex-49ers linebacker testifies before House panel https://t.co/oF4RDa70hK pic.twitter.com/kXDpUh7KW4

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) February 27, 2019

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​How Much Longer Can Hockey Turn A Blind Eye?

"I want the NHL to stand up and admit that CTE is real that CTE exists and that there are players under their watch that got hurt now suffering and I think they should do something about it."

Will Kelli Ewen's voice be heard within the NHL's head office? https://t.co/epCJSk6iw5

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) November 30, 2018

​"Jeff Parker, who died
last year at age 53,
will be seen 
as another link
between hockey
head hits and C.T.E.;
the league
​has denied
that such a link exists."
​
New York Times  5/3/18

Study shows Hall of Famer Mikita had CTE & Lewy Body <—stop reporting just the CTE, it’s the total brain damage that impacts symptoms & quality of life https://t.co/V9j53g7KXP

— Archie v. Pop Warner 1.14.20 (@kimberlyarchie) September 14, 2019

Eric Lindros suggests drastic rule change to save future NHLers from concussions: Ban body contact | Edmonton Journal https://t.co/PbOoWddSy5 pic.twitter.com/6BZfNnR2sO

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) August 17, 2018
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And Soccer?

Study reveals former football and rugby players six times more likely to have degenerative brain disease, CTE' | via @telegraph https://t.co/NXflWgL9Lf#dementiainfootball #dementiainrugby#CTE

— Dawn Astle (@DawnAstle9) January 20, 2019
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​​"Within 10 minutes
after each game,
the researchers
had the children
repeat the earlier 
​cognitive tests.
Those who headed
the ball
at least once
​ tended to have
​lower scores."

Heading the Soccer Ball May Be Bad for Young Brains https://t.co/AETOnZsKsv If you asked the moms, @kimberlyarchie about the "may" part, she will tell you, there is NO maybe in damaged brains.

— Doug Andreassen (@dandreassen) June 21, 2018

Heading in soccer increases serum neurofilament light protein and SCAT3 symptom metrics. - PubMed - NCBI https://t.co/F0ZCcIaVTT pic.twitter.com/hSvqQ45T65

— Concerned Mom (@ConcernedMom9) September 23, 2018
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The Repetitive Hits In Lacrosse

Front page of ⁦@Newsday⁩ -- Study: 'Subtle' cognitive decline in lacrosse players  https://t.co/G8MHmG6mIX by ⁦@jimbaumbach⁩ pic.twitter.com/FCSFfuHkAU

— Hank Winnicki (@HankWinnicki) November 11, 2018
Sports Biomechanics Journal
​(Taylor & Francis Online)

"It appears
subconcussive impacts
may result
in tandem stance
balance deficits.
Repetitive head impacts
may negatively affect
sway velocity,
even in the absence
of a diagnosed
concussion
."
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​Why Should Schools Sponsor Brain Damage?

Dr. Brian Moench of Physicians for Social Responsibility:

"High schools should be
public institutions of education, training grounds
for critical thinking, civic participation &
​career-building.
They should not be tied at the waist
to the brain damaging,
cultural equivalent of teenage gladiators.

The coliseums under today's
​Friday night lights are filled with parents
​who may not realize that even if their team wins,
​their child is likely to lose."
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Develop Minds, Don't Damage Them:
​Ending Violent Youth Sports

2/17/18

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"As a people, we have
long supported
public education, 

knowing ​it's the only way
to keep democracy alive.

Colleges and universities are in the business
of creating informed citizens....
I suspect future generations
will look back 
on football
with horror and disbelief."

Professor Rache
l Toor  10/20/17
​"Colleges and universities
are places where students 
go
to learn and grow, and
 sports that have been demonstrated

to adversely affect
the neurological development
of young adults

have no place
​in the halls of higher education."
​
Patrick C. Barham  2/8/18

"The corrosive culture of money
in big time collegiate sports --

more than $8 billion a year... 
was painfully obvious recently
with the indictments
of college coaches
​and an Adidas executive....

It was left to federal prosecutors
to issue a statment condemning
the 'criminal influence of money
on coaches and student-athletes.'"


​Mike Mcintire  12/28/17
​​
​
"Most schools
can hide behind
a NCAA concussion-settlement

that doesn't cover medical care.
They can duck paying
worker's 
comp
to injured players
thanks to the made-up,
quasi-legal term
student-athlete.
"


Patrick Hruby  12/8/17

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​Brain Trauma

Your brain is fragile.

It is nearly 80% water 
and has the consistency of soft butter.
 
It floats inside your skull
&
​is not fully developed until the early 20s.

​The younger your brain, the more susceptible it is
to ​long-term damage.
​

High school football participants endure 
hundreds of brain jarring hits
every season.


As many as 1 in 5 will suffer a debilitating brain injury.​

Millions more will suffer invisible brain injuries
& brain damage. 


Damage can occur without symptoms.​

Helmets can not prevent INERTIA. 

INERTIA generates internal brain trauma.

Ongoing trauma impedes injury mitigation. 

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Conclusions

If the primary purpose
of education is to
inform and enable,
ethical schools should reject
any activity
where
recurring
​ brain trauma
​is unavoidable.
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